Barry could still go to Liverpool says O'Neill
Saturday, 02 Aug 2008 19:29
Gareth Barry could soon be wearing the red of Liverpool
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has admitted that captain Gareth Barry could still move to
Liverpool this summer.
It was thought the deal was dead after Liverpool missed a deadline set by Villa for last Wednesday to match the valuation the club had set for the England midfielder. O'Neill said the next morning that he was very "buoyant and optimistic" that Barry would stay.
But the Villa boss has met again with Barry and his agent and revealed the player still wants to move and Liverpool now had the end of the transfer deadline to sign the player.
"There will be no deadline and Liverpool will have all the time in the world to sign him. They've got to the end of the transfer window at the end of the month," said O'Neill.
"If Liverpool at the end of it do not come up with the money, that's no-one's fault but their own. So it's really up to them, Gareth and his agent to sort it out. I've decided this is the only way forward for us really.
"I'd be delighted if Gareth stayed but I doubt it very much. The ball is very much in their court. I've got a football club to run and I really do want people who want to play for me."
The Barry transfer to Liverpool saga has been one of the longest running story of the summer and O'Neill revealed the Reds first came in for the midfielder almost four months ago.
Liverpool are thought to have made several unsuccessful bids so far inlcuding one in the region of £15 million with defender Steve Finnan part of the package.
Villa are demanding £18 million for Barry and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has said he needs to sell players and raise the money before he can think of buying new players, which could mean the Barry transfer goes right down to the wire.