"?Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack has been banished to the club's U23 team after falling out with manager Steve Bruce regarding his punctuality.
According to the "?Daily Mail, Villa are ready to listen to offers for the former Fulham forward after he claimed he could not make a training session due to a broken gate.
The club's senior players were given Monday off but McCormack was still ordered in after 'continually' missing training.
McCormack signed for the Championship club last summer for a fee of £12m, and while the club have received plenty of enquiries for the 30-year-old, none have enticed Villa into a sale as of yet.
Ross McCormack banished to train with U23s by furious Steve Bruce after 'Gate-gate' https://t.co/tJorp9HOqK pic.twitter.com/HyRbSfdFbg
McCormack had told the club he could not attend a training session after his gate refused to open, but Villa manager Steve Bruce drove to McCormack's house to discuss the matter and considered how the player could not simply climb over the 4ft 6in fence and hail a taxi.
Bruce confirmed McCormack may have played his last game for Villa after he missed the 2-2 draw against Preston North End.
"He won't play unless his attitude towards missing training improves. If he continually keeps missing training, like he has done, then that's going to be the situation," Bruce stated.
"There's been too much indiscipline around here. Not in 20 years of management have I gone down this route before but I feel as if I have to make a stand. I won't put up with it on my watch.
"I only ask one thing. I ask them to come in, enjoy their training and when I tell them they're in at 10:30 or 09:30, well, everybody else is in. He's decided that the team will pick itself. How can I pick him when he doesn't want to come into training? In my opinion, he's not fit enough to play."
A loan is being considered for McCormack, who has failed to settle in Birmingham and is apparently experiencing personal difficulties, although his £45k-a-week wages could prove troublesome for potential suitors.
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In quotes: "We believe we are close to two or three"? "? Steve Bruce on transfer targets. #AVFC pic.twitter.com/3Tt6SROWBN