Martin O’Neill admits Gareth Barry has never been in a better position to leave Villa – but he’s determined to persuade him to stay.
The Villa boss is set to meet the captain and his advisors in the summer to talk about a new contract with his deal having two years left.
O’Neill admits that at 27 and having become an England regular with almost 400 senior appearances behind him in 10 years, his skipper is in an extremely attractive marketing position after he was linked with Chelsea and Liverpool.
“He got into the England squad, then he got into the England team and he’s there on merit and he’s in a really fine position,” said O’Neill.
“What you don’t want to do is take anything for granted regarding what people are saying or thinking.
“All I’d do as manager of the football club is sit down with the chairman and we’re going to try to do our best to keep the players.
“Gareth comes into that category he’s our captain and one of our top players.”
O’Neill insists he’s unconcerned about agents or even international team-mates stoking up the fires of interest in Barry.
“I have to be aware of outside forces but within this club that’s not a problem,” added the boss.
“Anyone who walks through the door and asks me how they fit in on any given day of their contractual life, they can.”
O’Neill also plans to look favourably on deals for Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and Wilfred Bouma, insisting he will judge each case on its merits.
“I’ve never known a player to come in who has done poorly and asked if they can re-negotiate their contract downwards.
“I haven’t seen it and I’m not expecting to see it in the rest of my managerial time.”
4 Comments
There’s no loyalty in football nowadays but you can’t blame him for wanting to go to a big club to win medals.
1 - will you say the same about Kightly ?
He could come to us
With regard to Gareth Barry,
Its not about money, he has given 10 years of loyal service, kept his down and has been Villa’s best player over that period but Villa havent won anything in that time. Its about winning trophies and I have no doubt that given time Villa will be a major force again under O Neil but Barry wants to win something now and play in the champions league.
Ask anybody in life if an opportunity comes to better themselves you take it and if Liverpool or Chelsea come calling Gareth Barry may want to move for those reasons. The good thing for Villa is Gareth Barry is not a mercanary and therefore will decide to stay at Villa