Because noone really cares any more :lol: The inevitable move is dragging on far too long, like a certain Portuguese pillock :kink:

 

I blame Martin O'Neill for dragging it on. Seriously i've lost all respect I ever had for him. Now he just reinforces the fact he's a hypocrite by announcing Arsenal's "interest"in Barry. Unless Liverpool shift Alonso by using him as part exchange towards Silva, Villa or Aguero then chances are Barry will most likely be staying at Villa... until January at least.

O'Neill - Villa value Barry

Villa boss urges midfielder to resist Anfield move

 

Martin O'Neill believes Gareth Barry should resist the urge to move to Liverpool because he is held in higher regard at Aston Villa.

 

England midfielder Barry's proposed move to Liverpool has become one of this summer's ongoing transfer sagas as Villa hold out for an £18million asking price.

 

The 27-year-old has admitted a desire to join the Reds and was recently booed at a pre-season friendly with Walsall, but he received warm applause when replacing the injured Wilfred Bouma in Saturday's Intertoto Cup victory over Odense at Villa Park.

 

And with Liverpool having failed to make contact for seven days, manager O'Neill feels Barry - who is eager for UEFA Champions League football - should be in no doubt about how highly he is valued in the Midlands.

Message

 

"Having not heard anything from Liverpool for some time it is clear we value him more than they do," said O'Neill. "The fact they have not answered us for a week sends out a real message.

 

"We obviously don't want him to go, so the price we are asking is a fair and realistic one for a player who is so good. In fact I think it is really cheap.

 

"He has been with us for 10 years and the crowd reaction was really strong in his favour.

 

"I don't think there's any doubt about what we all want at Villa Park. We want him to stay at the club.

 

Terrific

 

"I am not in the habit of encouraging players to talk to me after games but I told Gareth he had been terrific. We need him at this club. He would be a terrific loss for us."

 

And O'Neill - who steered Villa to a sixth-placed Premier League finish last season - is eager for Barry to stay in order to witness further improvements.

 

"My own view is that he should hang around for another year and see if we can make further progress as he would want," added O'Neill.

 

"Gareth is still only 28 next year - if we don't get where he wants to go, everybody would wish him well."

 

Can't believe i'm saying this... but MON has just gone ever lower in my estimation now. :manson:

 

why are Liverpool even chasing such a mediocre player?

why are Liverpool even chasing such a mediocre player?

 

He'd improve our team greatly. Would certainly score a few goals from midfield and would provide stability in the side.

 

Don't think this is going to happen anymore though. I think MON has got his way... yeah, great loyalty from him. Fineing him two weeks wages, cancelling his testimonial etc. MON seems to have changed his tune about Barry since Bouma's injury. The guy makes no sense. He contradicts himself so many times in that interview it's stupid really.

 

I can see why he was holding about for an extra 2 million, but MON wouldn't be in this mess at the moment if he'd let Barry go for £16m. Never mind them challenging for European honours... unless MON gets his foot out of his mouth Villa will be struggling to stay in the top half of the table if he doesn't get his check book out.

Arsenal target Liverpool's Xabi Alonso to add midfield experience

 

Arsenal are set to free the way for Liverpool to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa as they prepare to mount a £16 million bid for Xabi Alonso, according to a report.

Telegraph.co.uk By Matt Lawless

Last Updated: 7:24PM BST 04 Aug 2008

 

Viva Espana: Arsenal fans could be treated to the midfield pairing of Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas, the Spain team-mates who enjoyed Euro 2008 success.

 

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is understood to be furious by the London club's interest in Barry after it emerged they could provide serious competition for the England international.

 

The departures of Gilberto Silva, Matthieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb, have exposed Arsenal's midfield with a decisive lack of experience and manager Arsene Wenger has prioritised the signing of a seasoned midfielder to keep their title ambitious in check.

 

Although he refused to publicly dispel the myth that Arsenal are interested in Barry, Wenger will ease Liverpool's anxiety and instead turn their attention towards signing Alonso, offering Benitez adequate funds to finally bring in the unsettled Villa player.

 

Speaking yesterday, Wenger made it clear other options were of a preference and the prospect of pairing Alonso with international colleague Cesc Fabregas at the Emirates seems alluring, after both impressed for Spain as they won Euro 2008 earlier this summer.

 

He said: "I don't know if Gareth Barry will leave Aston Villa. At the moment I am not on this case. I like Gareth Barry - and I like two or three other players. But I don't speak about names."

 

Benitez has been open to offers for Alonso, 26, since Liverpool first registered their intent to lure Barry in May.

 

The holding midfielder appeared to be on the verge of signing for Juventus, where he held discussions, while Fenerbache and Inter Milan were also reportedly keen.

 

Benitez insisted he would rather keep Alonso at the club rather than sell him on the cheap, putting the Italian club's interest in the player to an end after they were unable to agree terms with Liverpool.

 

"Xabi is a very good player and it will not be easy to sell because of the value of Alonso in the market will be really high," he said.

 

"We are pleased because we don't want Alonso to go unless we get a really good price."

 

Ideally, Wenger would like to sign any new additions in time to play their Champions League third qualifying round tie with Dutch outfit FC Twente, managed by former England head coach Steve McClaren, on 12 August.

 

Alonso, highly revered by the Kop. has made 136 appearances for Liverpool since his arrival from Real Sociedad in 2004, playing a key part in their Champions League success a year later.

 

But his goal in the 4-0 pre-season win over Rangers on Saturday could be his last in a Liverpool shirt after being deemed surplus to requirements.

 

16 million for Alonso? :mellow: I honestly cannot see Wenger going anywhere near that much for him :unsure:

Selling Alonso to Arsenal would be suicide. Alonso suits Arsenal's style of play, and a partnership of him and Fabregas in the centre of midfield would be just about the best of the Premier League. But apparently Arsenal will only offer £12m, which again, would be suicide to sell for such a small price. Fact is, most of the top clubs around Europe have got their central midfield partnership sorted out atm. I don't think Liverpool will sell him anyway.

 

Barry looks to be on his way to Liverpool too. No wonder some Villa fans are turning against him after the past week and his comments...