Premier League - Barry seals move to City

Eurosport - Wed, 03 Jun 09:07:00 2009

England midfielder Gareth Barry has completed his £12 million move from Aston Villa to Manchester City.

FOOTBALL Aston Villa's Gareth Barry, who owner Randy Lerner thinks will stay at the club despite reported interest from Liverpool - 0

The 28-year-old, who has been at Villa since joining as a trainee, has signed a five-year contract.

Barry was close to moving to Liverpool a year ago but the clubs could not agree a fee and the deal eventually fell through amid acrimonious exchanges between the player and manager Martin O'Neill.

In total contrast, Tuesday's deal was done in a matter of hours following Villa's lunchtime announcement that their captain was in talks with City.

"Gareth is widely acknowledged as one of the top midfielders in the Premier League and that is a recommendation in itself," said City boss Mark Hughes.

"When players of his quality become available then you have to be in the market for them.

"With Gareth we get the experience of someone who has played week-in, week-out in the hardest league in the world. He plays at a level that has an impact on the game and we are thrilled that he is joining us.

"I like players that have the sort of flexibility that enables you to change your tactics if you need during a game, and Gareth has that.

"He also has a range of passing that I'm keen to introduce to the team, and he has got great delivery at sets plays as well. He will bring a lot to City."

Barry said: "It didn't take much persuasion from Mark Hughes, they are heading in the direction I want to go.

"There is great potential here, and I'm sure there will be a few more additions to the squad this summer."

Predominantly a left-sided midfielder, Barry has also impressed in a more central role and is a favourite of England coach Fabio Capello.

He is currently with Capello's squad preparing for Saturday's World Cup qualifying match in Kazakhstan and next week's home game against Andorra when he will expect to add to his tally of 29 caps.

His signing could be the first of many at City in the close-season as manager Mark Hughes looks to use the millions of the club's Arab owners to build a squad to improve upon the team's 10th-place finish.

Hughes, who last year paid a British record £32m to Real Madrid for Brazil striker Robinho, added: "I was looking to get a number of deals done as soon as possible and we have had a great start with Gareth joining us.

"I hope we can conclude some more so that when we come back for pre-season training we have everybody fit and well and set for a successful campaign."

Reuters

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  1. I think he is nuts,joining a club who cannot bring­ success for you.

    From Tham, on Wed 3 Jun 5:25PM

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    From WWW.PREMIERSHIP.ALTERVISTA.ORG, on Wed 3 Jun 5:06PM

  3. why did he go to city they already have two good­ quality cdm's de jong and kompany are younger and­ will be better than barry mark hughes you need a­ quality striker fact robiniho is good but not on his­ own as he is too small anyway i dont care as i dont­ support you it just seems daft to me that they have 3­ quality cdm's what the crack there?

    From chris, on Wed 3 Jun 4:55PM

  4. ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THIS SIGNING WAS WORTH IT.CITY­ IS A BIG CLUB I FEEL THEY SHOULD LOOK FOR ZE-ROBERTO

    From emmanuel e, on Wed 3 Jun 3:55PM

  5. gibson sorry, who the f**k rattled you cage?. if your a­ city fan, say f**k all i carn`t remember the last time­ you won a trophy or had a decent team. or if your a utd­ fan? well "barcelona"

    From LFC - REAL EUROPEAN LEGENDS., on Wed 3 Jun 1:26PM

  6. As a Liverpool fan im glad he joined City noot us if he­ would have came here that would mean Xabi would have­ left and we dont want that!

    From Frosty, on Wed 3 Jun 12:28PM

  7. I dont like Barry anymore coz am a liverpool and n am­ pissed off that we nearly got him and he would av got­ more tropheys than e will get atVilla of City. e should­ ov @#$% 2 liverpool!! LIVERPOOL WILL WIN THA­ PREMIERSHIP NXT SEASON!!

    From Andy, on Wed 3 Jun 12:03PM

  8. sorry, the "47" was a mis-type, not a direct­ on anyone

    From Sick of it all, on Wed 3 Jun 11:48AM

  9. 47.I think Barry could have done a positive thing for­­ Villa, in terms of money being recouped from his­­ sale... all the news paper report claims that no team­­ would be willing to shell out more than 8 million for­­ him (at the minimum villa is asking for), given that­ he­ only has one year of his contract left.

    On top of­­ this, Lerner has also publicly stated that with the­­ global financial issue, he might not have that much­­ funding as last year for MON to spend on new players­­ this season... So maybe Barry's leaving at­­ 12million could be a profit to us in the long run,­­ where we need more players in order to compete in more­­ competitions next year, as well as maintaining the­­ club's payroll and finances...

    For Barry to­­ downgrade to a mid-table team, that IS his problem, we­­ wish him all the best and thank him for all the years­­ of service he has given us... only time can and will­­ tell if he made the right choice...

    UTV

    From Sick of it all, on Wed 3 Jun 11:47AM

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    From WWW.PREMIERSHIP.ALTERVISTA.ORG, on Wed 3 Jun 11:45AM

  11. LFC- REAL EUROPEAN LEGGENDS???? was this season­ successful? you twonka you won nowt, not long ago­ calling for the managers head when you wake up and stop­ nicking other peoples goods will you see that you are­ no hopers dwelling on past glories, ha ha ha up the­ toffees he he

    From gibson7201, on Wed 3 Jun 11:20AM

  12. @marcmason

    'lazy player at tracking back' -­ sorry, as much as I don't like Barry now, he was­ one of the players who actually did run all over the­ pitch, you could never accuse him of being­ Lazy.

    Ashley or Gabby on the other hand....

    From Steve, on Wed 3 Jun 10:59AM

  13. This is a strange one! Barry is quoted as saying: ­ "city are heading in the direction I want to­ go" what, DOWN THE TABLE??? now I like Man­ City, theyre a big club with FANTASTIC support, but­ lets face it, Villa WILL finish higher than City next­ season & thats a fact, & its only a matter of­ time before a change in manager is implemented, with a­ top european man coming in with champions league­ experience, & in my opinion this will be before­ christmas. Ranieri, Rijkaard, Mourinho &­ countless others will all be looked at by the owners,­ & if the 'new man' wants his own players,­ Barry will become just another 'bench warmer' ­ I cant help thinking its just another 'money­ move' & I think Barry had become so­ disheartened at Villa, he would have gone ANYWHERE for­ better money.

    From Gary J, on Wed 3 Jun 9:22AM

  14. Those people who say we would all take a new job if­ offered more money - probably true but that's­ because it would help with the bills. Barry already­ earns a fabulous wage, plus bonuses, endorsements etc.­ He's no doubt a multimillionaire already and could­ quit tomorrow and live in luxury for the rest of his­ life if he wanted to so he doesn't need the extra­ money City are paying him. It's like Robinho was­ all set for Chelsea but when City offered more he went­ there. Hope it means Xabi stays. Good luck City hope­ you stuff your scum neighbours.

    From Martin R, on Wed 3 Jun 9:20AM

  15. i think city are great!.
    think about it, they have a­ great stadium that doesn`t belong to them.
    they spent­ £100m in 10 months and finish 10th. (40 points behind­ utd)
    there fans believe they will finish in the top 4­ next season. (some even think they will win the league­ next season).
    players are only going to your club for­ the money, not trophys. as they have proved that with­ robinho who in a interview said he had`nt heard of man­ city before he arrived there, but he new of mark­ hughes.
    as a liverpool fan i`m not jealous of your`s­ and chelsea`s millions believe it or not. i`m happy­ with buying 2 or 3
    £5m - £7m players a season, and­ every so often being able to buy a £15m - £20m player­ like mascherano or torres, who want to play for the­ club and want to win trophys, and not for the money,­ and if they win a trophy it`s a bonus.

    From LFC - REAL EUROPEAN LEGENDS., on Wed 3 Jun 9:19AM

  16. So Gareth Barry leaves Villa, big deal. He gave that­ club 10 years or so, more than many other professionals­ in the game give to their clubs. He wanted to move on.­ Good luck to him.
    what the hell does 'gready'­ mean? I'm sure you mean greedy. Doesn't he­ deserve a big pay day, and as a Villa fan, you of all­ people should realise that. Villa have flattered to­ deceive for years and he has gone as far as he could­ with the team, so what if he wants a new challenge. ­
    As for him lying to 'loyal' fans by saying he­ would only go for Champions League football,­ where's the lie. If City qualify for the Champions­ League within his time there he will have told the­ truth. Anyway, whether they qualify or not, so what,­ he made the correct decision.
    How is it that fans­ always cry about players who leave their clubs, label­ them Judas or whatever... then rejoice when some other­ 'Judas' joins their club.
    Good luck Gareth. ­ City is a long way from William Parker.

    From m m, on Wed 3 Jun 9:09AM

  17. This is a wierd move almost as bad as Kevin Nolan to­ Newcastle, I think some City fans are getting a bit­ over excited but here thats football one minute your­ bottom of league next ur near playing in europe :)­ theres no doubt that having the cash to splash doesnt­ turn heads look at Robinho although a tad overrated­ compared to other players at his price range but anyway­ Barry must know what hes doing hes just left a better­ club (in europe what he wanted) to a team rebuilding­ and lets face it Martin O'Neil is much better­ manager than Hughes so money wins again shame really­ cause passion counts for so much more..

    From Martin S, on Wed 3 Jun 9:06AM

  18. Sad to see Barry go. He has been a loyal servant to­ Villa, and I applaud hiim for his decade of unfaltering­ service to the club. I wish him well in his pursuit for­ top honours and only hope he isn't proved wrong in­ going to City, for his own sake. I hope, come next­ season, the Holte End gives him a heros' welcome.­ It will be deserved.

    From obz007, on Wed 3 Jun 9:05AM

  19. tinking is fales liverpol oll the world footboll club­ baree is the bast plyer in manchster city

    From mulinio_rf, on Wed 3 Jun 9:04AM

  20. Being a Villa fan, i'm glad too see the back of­ barry, the only good part of his game is his left­ foot!!
    A very lazy player at tracking back, and­ struggles to make effective tackles, and since­ returning to the Englnad squad, has lost the ability to­ shoot.

    one last time, one gready b-a-s-t-a-r-d theres­ only one gready b-a-s-t-a-r-d!!!

    From Marc, on Wed 3 Jun 8:55AM
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