Villa will resist any fresh bid from Liverpool for Gareth Barry and remain steadfast in their conviction to keep their captain.
Reports today suggested Reds boss Rafa Benitez has increased his offer from £10m to £12m for the England international.
But this has been shot down by Villa, who haven’t yet received another bid.
Villa admit there have been no more talks with Barry or his representative Alex Black since the pair met boss Martin O’Neill and chairman Randy Lerner at Bodymoor for initial discussions 11 days ago.
O’Neill and Barry are currently away on short breaks.
Villa also refute claims made by Benitez saying a fee had already been agreed with Villa for Scott Carson, who has returned to Anfield following his season-long loan in claret and blue.
Benitez claims a £10m had been agreed with Villa, but O’Neill has always said nothing had been agreed beyond the loan.
While determined to keep Barry, O’Neill is concentrating on improving his squad, and has several targets on his radar.
Now that Chelsea’s season is over, he is expected to step up attempts to sign £6m-rated midfielder Steve Sidwell – whether he keeps Barry or not.
And Villa are also seeking to bolster their goalkeeping department. They are keen on Manchester United’s Ben Foster and want to see if the Old Trafford giants will allow the keeper to come to the West Midlands for a season-long loan.
11 Comments
Let him go, he wants champions league football and we cant offer it him, given us ten good years adn hes carried us for most of them. He knows this year was a lucky one for villa and we will be back in the mid table next year. Players were being linked to dont improve the squad - why would he want to stay? Sell him for whatever we can get before he buys out his contract next year.
Is it possible that Lerner has hit hard times and so Villa can’t afford Carson, unless they get over the odds for Barry?
I keep hearing this rumour.
I for one have never heard of a billionaire ‘hitting hard times’. Seems a little far fetched really considering he donated millions of pounds to a museum not 6 months ago.
Over the odds for Barry? If Rafa says Carson is worth £10m and Crouch is worth £15m then what is Barry worth?
Villa can afford Carson - he’s just not worth £10m!
Johnny G, that sounds very plausible particularly as he donated £5m to an art gallery earlier in the year and is rumoured to be eschewing commercial sponsorship on Villa’s shirts next season in order to support a local hospice. What next? A rumour that Randy will sell Villa and instead buy a club that plays its home games at Skid Row?
Let him go - he owes us nothing- But make sure Benitez pays the proper price which is £10million Cash plus Carson
Scott Carson had a shocking season so why would we want him?
We should let him go.
He has given us 10 years of loyal service and deserves a go at the Champions League. I understand the reasons he wants to go. It has been a long time since we have been European Champions, but Liverpool look like they could do it 3 of the past 4 seasons.
He will always be a legend in my eyes.
you can count on one hand how many decent games scott carson had. give him back to liverpool and buy two good keepers for £10 million.
Hard times? how can you compare carson apparently worth £10m to the same valuation as barry???? I would personally take crouch, riise, pennant and carson all in exchenge for barry. What planet is benitez on, if he believes carson has a similar valuation to that of barry? he had a decent spell and i do believe he can recoup the form but barry this season has been WORLD class
Lol bye bye Barry, you are a feeder club!
Mark Rickards, you are the most pessimistic Villa ‘fan’ I have ever come across. Are you entirely certain you’re not a Bluenose? ‘He knows this year was a lucky one for villa and we will be back in the mid table next year’ Where the hell did a comment like that come from? You are not worthy of Claret and Blue, and you will eat and choke on those words. Regards, from a genuine Villa supporter.