Barnsley are edging closer to signing Gary Gardner from Aston Villa, reports Football Insider.  

Gardner has been deemed surplus to requirements at Villa Park by Steve Bruce, and looks set to leave the Midlands on transfer deadline day.

Barnsley have been monitoring the midfielder’s situation for some time and are set to beat a host of Sky Bet Championship clubs to the 25-year-old’s signature on the final day of the transfer window.

The midfielder has spent his entire professional career on the books at Villa Park, and has made 46 senior appearances for the club since his debut in 2011, scoring just one goal for the club.

Gardner has had five separate loan spells away from Villa Park, spending time with Coventry City, Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton and Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest (twice).

During those loan spells away from Villa Park saw Gardner make over 50 first-team appearances and recreating himself as one of the Football League’s most impressive goalscoring midfielders.

Despite offering a lot to Villa’s squad, Gardner looks set to be sacrificed following Bruce’s latest reshape, with the midfielder one of a number of players to be made available.

Tommy Elphick and Ross McCormack are two other players surplus to requirements at Villa Park, who could be on the move today.

The Verdict

Gardner will be an exceptional signing for Barnsley, and he will give Paul Heckingbottom’s squad some much needed experience and depth after a poor summer on the transfer front for the Tykes.

A number of high-profile players have departed Oakwell earlier this summer, but the addition of Gardner will end the transfer window on a high.

If Gardner is handed a regular run of games in the starting XI at Oakwell, he will undoubtedly score goals and become a key player in central midfield for Barnsley.

Barnsley fans… Let us know your thoughts!