Blues threaten Villa's McLeish move

Villa will today continue with controversial plans to appoint former Birmingham manager Alex McLeish - even though it could cost them £5.4million.

Blues acting chairman Peter Pannu is threatening to report Villa to the Premier League following McLeish's resignation and revealed his anger over the manner of the Scot's departure from St Andrews's.

Villa claim that McLeish is now a free agent after his resignation and confirmed their intentions to speak to the former Scotland manager, although Blues are threatening to put him on gardening leave unless they are fully compensated.

The ex-Glasgow Rangers boss signed a new three-year deal in September and Blues are determined his £5.4million release fee will be met, although it was agreed on a sliding scale and would drop to around £3million next month.

Pannu said: "I received an e-mail from Aston Villa. As expected their legal department said 'now that Alex McLeish is a free agent, having resigned, we are free to speak to him.'

"This confirms all suspicions. The second-year compensation starts on July 1 and the urgency of this e-mail coming from Aston Villa shows they can't even wait 15 days.

"So this is the urgency of the matter. I think it shows the whole world what this is all about. They can't wait, wouldn't wait.

"He thinks he can walk away because the £5.4million compensation is too much for Villa and he cannot let this opportunity pass.

"He is not willing to fork out £5.4million himself, even though if he goes to Villa he is likely to be on £2million a year.

"I will be getting an injunction preventing Villa from hiring him. Either Villa pick up his tab or I will be reporting it now to the Premier League."

It is the latest chapter in what has become a frustrating search for a new manager for Villa owner Randy Lerner, who has been forced to cross names off his shortlist of candidates.

Villa were unable to land either Wigan manager Roberto Martinez or ex-Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti, while the club went cold on Mark Hughes and Rafael Benitez pulled out of preliminary discussions.