According to the Birmingham Mail, Aston Villa are still expecting Ross McCormack, Tommy Elphick and Gary Gardner to leave the club before the end of the transfer window.

The trio do not feature in Steve Bruce’s long-term plan at Villa Park, and despite featuring in the Carabao Cup during the week, they are still expected to leave Villa between now and next week’s transfer deadline.

Elphick and Gardner both played 90 minutes of Tuesday’s victory over Wigan Athletic, whilst McCormack was introduced as a late substitute, with Bruce opting to play a much-changed side in the cup.

However, despite their latest opportunity to impress, McCormack, Elphick and Gardner are all expected to depart in the coming week.

McCormack is a target for Sunderland, with Simon Grayson extremely keen to link back up with the striker who he previously managed at Leeds United.

Elphick is also attracting attention, with Birmingham City considering a move for the defender, if they fail to land their main defensive target, Aden Flint.

Gardner could also be on the move across the Sky Bet Championship, with reports suggesting that Barnsley were considering a move for the 25-year-old midfielder.

Paul Heckingbottom watched the midfielder in Villa’s Carabao Cup tie against Wigan.

The Verdict

It is no surprise to see Villa still looking to move the likes of McCormack, Elphick and Gardner on, particularly when you take Villa’s battle against Financial Fair Play punishments into consideration.

The trio all played a part in Villa’s impressive performance over Wigan during the week, but their contribution does not appear to have put them back into first-team contention.

There is sure to be plenty of Championship clubs looking to sign McCormack, Elphick and Gardner, and their situation is certainly one to watch over the next week.

Aston Villa fans… Let us know your thoughts!