Birmingham City look set to lose a first-choice player in the coming days with arch-rivals Aston Villa reportedly nearing a deal for winger Jota.

The report from the Sun indicates that Villa will pay £4million for the 27-year-old as well as including midfielder Gary Gardner as part of the deal.

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Jota only managed three goals in 40 Championship appearances last season for the Blues but nine assists showed that he still carried plenty of threat in the final third.

But his most productive spell came when playing under current Villa manager Dean Smith at Brentford, scoring 23 goals in 78 appearances for the Bees before being snapped up by Birmingham.

Gardner was an ever-present for Garry Monk's Blues side last season, making 40 league appearances, scoring two goals and assisting three more, so his return will be a welcome one.

So, how good deal is this?

We discuss...

Jacob Potter

"What a great bit of business this is.

"Gardner is a player in decline. Aston Villa will be delighted to move him on and get him off the wage bill.

"Jota is a game-changer and will be a really good signing for Dean Smith's side if he can recapture the form he had previously shown at Brentford."

Gary Hutchinson

"Yes, that’s good business without a doubt.

“Birmingham would surely have fancied more, but Gardner was a key figure for them last season and with restrictions around transfers, this is a good way to get money and a player.

“As for Villa, they need to get him consistently firing now, he’s a good player but only for portions of the season.

“If he begins to find that level of consistency, he’s going to be a big signing.”

Louie Chandler

"I think it is a good deal for all involved.

"Dean Smith gets to bring in a player he is clearly a big fan of for just £4million and off-load someone who was not likely to play again in the process.

"And Birmingham get a helpful wedge of cash and a player who played a key part in their previous campaign."