
Aston Villa have announced the signing of midfielder Jota from fierce rivals Birmingham City, with Gary Gardner (who was already on loan at Birmingham) completing a permanent transfer in the opposite direction.
A club statement read:
"Aston Villa is delighted to announce the signing of Jota from Birmingham City.
The winger has joined for an undisclosed fee and will team up with former boss Dean Smith at Villa Park after putting put pen to paper on a two-year deal.
After starting his career in his native Spain with the likes of Celta Vigo, Real Madrid B and Eibar, he got his first taste of English football with Brentford, joining the Bees in 2014.
A key player for Smith at Griffin Park, Jota’s impressive performances during a three-year stint with the London side prompted a move to St. Andrew’s in 2017 for a club-record fee.
Head Coach Dean Smith said: “I worked with Jota at Brentford. He’s a superb, talented player and Birmingham signed him as their record transfer.
"I’m really happy to have him back working with us. He’s got great ability, great balance and a great eye for both goals and assists.”