Scott Hogan: Birmingham City sign Aston Villa forward for undisclosed fee

Scott Hogan made 56 league appearances for Aston Villa - but only half of them were starts

Birmingham City have signed striker Scott Hogan from neighbours Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee.

Hogan, 28, has agreed a four-year contract at St Andrew's after scoring seven goals in 18 appearances during a loan spell last season.

The Republic of Ireland forward moved to Villa from Brentford in 2017 for a fee which it was said could reach £12m.

But he had loan spells with Sheffield United and Stoke City before joining Birmingham in January.

His most recent goal for the club was in a 3-1 home defeat by Reading in March, their last league game before the coronavirus lockdown was imposed.

After coming from non-league football at Hyde and Halifax, Hogan made his name at Rochdale, scoring 19 goals in 40 appearances to earn a move to Brentford in the summer of 2014.

After suffering an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury in only his second game, keeping him out for 18 months, he twice had surgery.

But he returned to action to net 21 times in 33 league games, mostly under current Villa boss Dean Smith, to earn his move to the Midlands.

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