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Villa Stand Firm On Barry Fee

Wed 09 Jul, 12:09 PM


Aston Villa have reminded Liverpool they will only sell captain Gareth Barry for £18million.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill has made it clear since Barry became a Reds target at the end of last season that he will accept nothing less than his full valuation for the England midfielder.

The midlands club have even formally written to Liverpool to spell out their position.

O'Neill will only relent slightly if Liverpool defender Steve Finnan is part of the package and would then be happy to knock £1million off the asking price.

But it is believed Liverpool rate Finnan, who is in the final year of his contract, at around £2million and that has been a minor sticking point.

O'Neill has not wavered on the price for Barry since being upset at his Liverpool counterpart Rafael Benitez for making his intentions public in early May.

He has already rejected bids of £10million, £12million, £13million and £15million for the 27-year-old.

Benitez is keen for the issue to be resolved so that Barry can start his pre-season preparations.

Barry has been banned from attending Villa's training ground at Bodymoor Heath after being disciplined for criticising O'Neill in a Sunday newspaper article.

Villa are currently on tour in Switzerland but are pressing ahead with their bid to sign Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell as a replacement for Barry.

The former Reading player is likely to complete a £5million move in the next few days after failing to command a regular first-team spot during his only season at Stamford Bridge.

Any deal with Liverpool for Barry will also involve Liverpool paying half of the fee immediately and the remainder within the next 12 months.

O'Neill said: "We're still waiting to hear back from Liverpool after putting that proposal to them.

"It's really up to Liverpool. I really don't know how it's going to work out at the moment. I'm sure there will be some sort of resolution at some stage or another."

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  1. barry from bromwich..............joker!!!!

    From wibble!!!!!, on Thu 10 Jul 11:21AM

  2. to malcolm h.

    it's not a matter of the affordability, what gives you the impression we can't afford him?! and as for the fee being arranged 8 weeks ago, how the hell do you know?? were you at the club when the calls were coming in?? but just to remind you of things being pre arranged, what about the deal for scott carson?? everthing was ready to be done until his howlers for england!! and before you mention the price for him don't worry, i wouldn't pay £10 let alone £10m. but that's besides the point. barry is only worth what a club is willing to pay,and i don't exactly see a bidding war goin on do you?! personally i'd be happy for us to forget him and keep alonso. but i don't fancy your chances of keeping him, id' be happy for us to offer about £8m plus £5m to buy out remainder of his contract and as compo to villa (the way i think all deals should go when player is still under contract!) so £13m abslute tops!! let's all be honest, player valuations have gone stupid lately, ever since man u had their arms ripped off for carrick and hargreaves, all of a sudden all you need is to be england captain for 20 mins during a worthless friendly and your valuation rockets!! yet peter crouch a regular selection for england goes back to pompey for £11m. so like i said, you can set your valuations as ridiculously high as you like, but you'll only get what the buyer wants to pay!! so sorry gareth, stand by for some time in the reserves son, thanks to a stroppy prat!!

    From wibble!!!!!, on Thu 10 Jul 11:19AM

  3. AND YOU WONDER WHY SO MANY CLUBS LOOK OVERSEAS FOR TALENT, BARRY AT 18 MILLION IS ROBBERY. PERSONALLY I THINK LIVERPOOL SHOULD COOL THEIR INTEREST AND TO FORCE VILLA BACK INTO THE WORLD OF REALITY. AND IF ALONSO IS STAYING THEN PULL OUT ALTOGETHER AND GO FOR SILVA, A PLAYER WE ARE IN NEED OF.

    From Tai P, on Thu 10 Jul 10:46AM

  4. 18 mil for barry who is to old at 27 he may have 2years at most tell,O,NEILL TO put is head in sand and go to specsavers as this player is over the hill by a long way he as to look againe if i was to tell O,NEILL TO STICK BARRY WHERE PADDY STUCK HIS MONEY

    From BARBARA M, on Thu 10 Jul 10:39AM

  5. 18 mil for barry who is to old at 27 he may have 2years at most tell,O,NEILL TO put is head in sand and go to specsavers as this player is over the hill by a long way he as to look againe if i was to tell O,NEILL TO STICK BARRY WHERE PADDY STUCK HIS MONEY

    From BARBARA M, on Thu 10 Jul 10:39AM

  6. 18 mil for barry who is to old at 27 he may have 2years at most tell,O,NEILL TO put is head in sand and go to specsavers as this player is over the hill by a long way he as to look againe if i was to tell O,NEILL TO STICK BARRY WHERE PADDY STUCK HIS MONEY

    From BARBARA M, on Thu 10 Jul 10:39AM

  7. Bojan, a club is not measured by its money, but by its achievements, morale, fairness, and fan culture. As a Liverpool fan I respect ManU for their game, perhaps you could do the same for other honourable clubs (even if they're rivals). Even if LFC had the same money as ManU, 18 million is simply too much for Barry - and THAT's the issue. Gavin is right - Barry is not mediocre as Gerrard's plea shows. Carrick and Hargreaves are great players, but Barry is not as good, so 15 million is a fair price (although for ManU's cash flow it's no problem to over-pay certain players...). For LFC: Keep Finnan and Alonso, buy David Bentley and try to get David Silva in. What we need is attacking defenders (as Carragher can if he plays oin the right). Ashley Cole (without his hot temper!)-like players is what is lacking. Aurelio shows signs of such ability, Finnan can do it on a good day, but it must become part of the game.

    From gordon.merk, on Thu 10 Jul 8:09AM

  8. Obviously Liverpool should stand firm with their bid, if its £15 million then its £15 million, that's about it, as discontended players will eventually leave. Villa are trying to pull a fast one over Liverpool and its up to Benitez's character to decide the outcome. I'm surprised though as we've heard a lot of buyout clauses invoving players and I wonder why that hasn't been brought up in this transfer saga.

    From Stanley B, on Thu 10 Jul 7:53AM

  9. lfc sucks..they dont even have 18million to pay while man u can pay 18million for hargreaves n carrick each..what a @#$% lfc is..

    From Bojan, on Thu 10 Jul 6:31AM

  10. Save your money(dont buy Barry for 18mil) invest into some young talent. Save your 15 mil and Finnan; and buy John Fleck the 15 year old phenom from (Sco)Rangers, buy this LM for less than a mil. Or purchase Sergio Mota(17 YO) for 5 Mil from Sau Paolo(Bra) this guy is going to be a superstar in 3 years. Even Better spend 2 mil for Abdou Traore from Rosenborg he is 18 and will land with a big club soon. Risk it, These guys are great younger(than Barry) players for cheap. Liverpool can save money to buy one more big name for less than 11 mil before the start of the season."Barry is not worth it"

    From Erik H, on Thu 10 Jul 3:59AM

  11. Martin O'Neal..."Don't you think he's looking tired"

    From DARIN C, on Thu 10 Jul 2:42AM

  12. Martin O'neal is prostituting Gareths talent at 18 million, because he's getting desperate. O'Neal's competant and assurred management is starting to evidence sighns that he is losing his grip; Class being replaced by shrill and macho posturing, which he dosn't where well. DON'T YOU THINK HE LOOKS TIRED....could probably do with a break from it all. All that telly works takin its toll. Have Villa thought of a new manager. e.g Graham Taylor. Never had a lot of time for this club, dating back to how they sacked their most inspirational manager Ron Saunders. Kalma.

    From DARIN C, on Thu 10 Jul 2:32AM

  13. Martin O'neal is prostituting Gareths talent at 18 million, because he's getting desperate. O'Neal's competant and assurred management is starting to evidence sighns that he is losing his grip; Class being replaced by shrill and macho posturing, which he dosn't where well. DON'T YOU THINK HE LOOKS TIRED....could probably do with a break from it all. All that telly works takin its toll. Have Villa thought of a new manager. e.g Graham Taylor. Never had a lot of time for this club, dating back to how they sacked their most inspirational manager Ron Saunders. Kalma.

    From DARIN C, on Thu 10 Jul 2:31AM

  14. I feel mon has got bitter and twisted right from the start he seems to be loosing it he certainly wasnt like this at celtic.

    From Ron, on Thu 10 Jul 12:36AM

  15. Poster "C". You are spot on. Let the leprachaun go take a jump.

    From Viva Espana, on Wed 9 Jul 11:50PM

  16. Barry AND Bentley together aren't worth 18 million! Rafa is better off pulling out and paying the money for David Villa who is by Martin O'Neill's reckoning probably worth 36 million plus! Why stress over an over-rated 27 year old, he has a fraction of the talent that Gerrard has and wouldn't fit in the Liverpool team!

    From C, on Wed 9 Jul 10:26PM

  17. £12-£15 million is more than enough for barry.if not leave him where he is.......lfc fan....

    From hotkins@..., on Wed 9 Jul 9:37PM

  18. AsianFootie, u make me laugh, a certain Mr Gerrard is the one that WANTS Barry at Anfield, so what does that say about one of the best midfielders in Europe and his apparent knowledge in players, and likewise what does that say about your manager for going in after Barry if he is so Mediocre, would you accept a 3 million under the asking fee for Mr Gerrard, your top player????
    I think you will find the answer is a no, so why should Villa do the same, oh, hang on, because we are not a top 4 club, Stevie Wonder could tell you that MON will prove he is a better manager than Mr "Tap Up Under-Contract" Players Benetez in time!

    From GAVINM, on Wed 9 Jul 8:40PM

  19. Liverpool should now pull the plug on this Barry saga,
    £18 million is a lot of money for a 27 year old.Liverpool could do better with two young players.

    From ADRIAN R, on Wed 9 Jul 7:46PM

  20. be real barry is worth 3 ronaldo's so if liverpool want him and after unsettling him then they should pay 18,000,000 its nothing really

    From villain 4 life, on Wed 9 Jul 7:46PM
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