Aston Villa will have to pay around £6million if they want to beat eight Premier League rivals to sign Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell.Sidwell is one of Martin O'Neill's main summer targets and is a possible replacement for Gareth Barry should he decide to move to Liverpool.
But Chelsea are not prepared to let Sidwell go on the cheap despite signing the 25-year-old on a free transfer from Reading last summer.
Several Premier League clubs are thought to be expressing an interest in Sidwell including Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham, Manchester City, Everton and Blackburn.
O'Neill is understood to want pay only around £4million for Sidwell who made only 15 Premier League appearances during the 2007-2008 campaign - and none since January.
The former Celtic boss is keen to add to an already small squad which could be further depleted if Barry goes through with his desire to play Champions League football via a switch to Anfield.
Villa have rejected a £10million players-plus-cash bid for the 27-year-old who skippered England during the second half of Sunday's friendly international with Trinidad and Tobago.
But Reds boss Rafael Benitez is expected to increase his bid for Barry who has been a Villa first team regular for the past 10 years and clocked up nearly 400 appearances.
And Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has admitted he is "desperate" for the Merseysiders to sign his close friend and England midfield partner Barry.
O'Neill is thought to be keen to bring former Villa striker Peter Crouch back to the Midlands club as part of what would effectively be a swap deal involving Barry.
But weekend reports claimed Crouch was prepared to see out the final year of his Liverpool contract.
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Comment 1 - 5 of 5
bring ronaldo to villa!..... cmon randy, you've got the cash..... use it! lol
15 mil for Gerrard now that would be the bargin of the century.
nicolebaby or whatever, please find an appropriate medium to do your hunting.
On topic: I agree with Steve; Gerrard should switch to Villa if he is that desperate. If Barry move to Liverpool, it should be for the right reasons and not just to satisfy another player's desire.
Didn't take long for Spam to start appearing did it. I'd report it, if the reporting process wasn't so ridiculously long winded.
On Topic: Well, if Gerrard wants to play with Barry so desperately, he should move to Villa.
Tell you what Rafa, we'll give you £15m for Gerrard instead!
WHAT?
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