Davies will welcome Barry back

Defender Curtis Davies will welcome skipper Gareth Barry with open arms if he returns to pre-season training at Villa.

Davies, who completed his £10m permanent transfer to Villa today after a year on loan from Albion, has an informed perspective on what his team-mate is going through in the long saga of his proposed move to Liverpool.

Barry has now put his long-held popularity with Villa fans firmly on the line after declaring his wish to join the Reds.

Centre-back Davies, now back running again following a ruptured Achilles in March, went through a similarly messy experience episode at The Hawthorns, before his own on-off move to Villa was completed last August.

So he is perhaps more understanding than most with regards to Barry’s situation.

He said: “It’s not really distracting because you have got to look after your own house.”

“Whatever Gareth’s doing or saying, he’s his own man and he’ll sort out his own stuff with the manager, the club or whatever.

“I’ve just been concentrating on my injury. I’ve been interested to see who’s coming in but I’ve got to look after myself.

“Gareth’s a friend of mine and I’m not going to put him down for anyone.

“I like him as a player and as a guy and I’d love him to stay but that will be down to Gareth and the club.

“Whatever happens, he will make his decision and he’s been good for the club for 10 years.

“If he goes, I’d like to think he goes on better terms than if he was hated.”

Davies, who will sign a four-year contract, controversially ‘withdrew labour’ at the Baggies before eventually getting his move.

That will likely to ensure a frosty reception at The Hawthorns if he goes back there next season.

Going on strike is seen by some as one of Barry’s next options along the exit strategy

Davies admits the drawn-out nature of his and Barry’s seemingly inevitable departure is disappointing.

He said: “It’s a shame that it was sour when I left because I felt I’d done well for the club in the time I was there.

“I tried really hard for the club. It is just a shame that when things get drawn out like with my deal getting left to the last minute, the fans thought ‘he’s jilted us’.

“But it’s football. You can’t please everyone and a lot of times you need to look after your family.

“People talk about loyalty, but my only loyalty is to my family and to look after them.

“If you can move onto a better club and earn yourself a better living and play better football then it’s something you need to do.”

The departure of Barry comes after Scott Carson, Thomas Sorensen, Olof Mellberg and Patrik Berger left at the end of last season and will leave Villa with just 17 fit senior professionals.

That’s one less than to fill the bench under the seven substitutes rule as they prepare for their first Intertoto Cup tie on the weekend of July 19-20.

Yet Davies believes boss Martin O’Neill is just being shrewd.

He said: “I think it’s a case of sooner if someone is in danger of getting snapped up. There is no rush really.

“In my own case, it wasn’t sorted out until deadline day on August 31. It’s been a long summer with the Euro 2008 tournament being on.

“I am sure the manager has been looking at a few players out there when he was doing his TV work.

“It’s more about getting the quality that we want, rather than rushing in and taking someone because they are available.

“That’s what this manager does well. He’s very shrewd and spends the club’s money as if it were his own.

“It’s good because you see Chelsea and they have unlimited funds, so they spend over the odds on a player.

“I’m sure the manager has a budget – I don’t know what it is – but he wants to spend it shrewdly and bring in the top class players that we can for the money.”

As he prepares to pen his long-term deal, Davies is convinced the club will continue the progress made under O’Neill.

He said: “It is the worst-kept secret ever! It’s nice for it to be out of the way and to say it’s done.

“I wanted to come here to progress and I’m sure the club are going to progress in the years I’m here.

“I’m a Villa player so the Baggies fans can stop plaguing me now!

“It’s a four-year deal and I wouldn’t have signed such a long contract if I didn’t feel we had such a good future here.”