May
2
Gareth Barry to Liverpool?
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It has been confirmed that Liverpool has made an offer to Aston Villa for skipper Gareth Barry. The offer by the Reds currently consists of a player trade involving a few small names for the Lions’ captain. Although the original offer probably won’t go through, talks could start up between the two sides. The Villa chief has expressed interest in Liverpool Peter Crouch, who could somehow be brought onto the table. Goalkeeper Scott Carson (who Villa currently has on loan) and defender John Arne Riise could also be brought into a package.
Martin O’ Neill, manager of Villa, doesn’t want to see a deal involving Barry just yet, stating that Villa is “not a feeder club.” He is interested in having the skipper around for the remaining two years of his contract. Although such things are often said to keep the other team to raise their bid, the Villa coach may not be fibbing. He has expressed genuine interest in building up a strong club that can compete with the best of the Premier League. Gareth Barry is a valuable asset and any serious team would think twice before trading him.
The Lions seem like they will be evaluating the opportunity more before doing anything drastic. The team has yet to talk with Barry personally, which is an important part if they are going to exchange him since he would have to accept a contract termination to be traded. Such a termination, to O’ Neill’s dismay, may be possible due to Barry’s eagerness to get a Champions League victory. O’ Neill has tried to get his team up to par with “the Big Four,” but has failed thus far and Barry might just grab the opportunity of moving to one of the big clubs if given the chance. Then again, Martin O’ Neill does have the final call and at this point he doesn’t seem interested in Liverpool’s offer.