Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish can understand why Gary Gardner has caught the eye of Coventry after the highly-rated teenager joined the Sky Blues on loan.

Gardner scored all three goals against Ajax as Villa’s under-19s ran out 3-0 winners in a European tie at Villa Park on Tuesday, but has yet to make a competitive appearance for the first team.

In light of Gardner’s impressive form it must have been tempting for the Villa boss to keep hold of Gardner and give him opportunities from the bench.

But McLeish has decided the England under-21 international will be best served furthering his education in the Championship with a spell at the Sky Blues, who are managed by Andy Thorn.

The Villa boss said: “Gary is a player that everybody told me about when I came here and how he could burst into the first team almost straight away.

“But people forget he was out with a cruciate ligament injury for about a year. He is now starting to show the potential he has got.

“We are now seeing that in his performances and also getting a chance for his country at under-21 level.

“He is also chipping in with goals which is fantastic for his confidence.”

Gardner, the younger brother of former Villa and current Sunderland midfielder Craig Gardner, played a starring role to help Villa secure their place in the quarter-finals of the NextGen tournament.

And Solihull-born Gardner wants the claret and blues to go as far as possible in the tournament, which will move into the knockout phase in the new year with Villa set to face Celtic, Marseille or Barcelona.

He said: “At Villa Park in a European tie we have shown how class we are with a 3-0 win against Ajax, who are apparently one of the best team in the competition.

“I like to get in the box and score goals but to score a hat-trick was an unbelievable feeling and I’ve been absolutely buzzing since.

“I wish I could do it front of 40-odd thousand people at Villa Park week-in week-out. That is my dream.

“I think we can go to the latter stages, like in the youth cup, I want to go all the way and win it. Bring on Barcelona! We will take on anyone.”

Villa centre-back Shane Lowry has also been allowed to join fellow defender Nathan Baker on loan at Millwall.