Liverpool make £10m bid for Gareth Barry

[Crazyhorse7778]

Liverpool make £10m bid for Gareth Barry

 

May 2 2008 EXCLUSIVE by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

 

LIVERPOOL have tabled a £10m bid to bring Aston Villa star Gareth Barry to Anfield.

 

The offer was made yesterday as Rafa Benitez reacted to Liverpool's Champions League exit at the hands of Chelsea by making an immediate move for his number one summer transfer target.

 

The Reds boss has earmarked Barry as a potential key signing and the centre piece of his rebuilding plans as he looks to put together a squad with enough strength in depth to be able to mount a genuine challenge for the Premier League title.

 

Villa boss Martin O'Neill has insisted he would be reluctant to let the England international leave Villa Park. But the 27-year-old central midfielder is keen to experience Champions League football and is believed to favour a transfer to Anfield, despite interest from both Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

The two London clubs have been monitoring Barry's situation for several months and both are believed to be ready to test the water by make offers of their own.

 

But Liverpool have stolen a march on their Big Four rivals by getting in first with a £10m bid. Though Benitez rates Barry highly, he would be reluctant to get involved in an auction for a player understood to be keen on a move to Anfield.

 

O'Neill is desperate to retain the services of his club captain and is due to meet Villa owner Randy Lerner next week in an attempt to put together a lucrative contract in a last ditch bid to convince Barry not to quit.

 

But, with Liverpool able to offer Barry the Champions League football he craves and the opportunity to team up with international team mate Steven Gerrard, it is unlikely that even the prospect of being the best paid Villa player of all time would be enough to tempt him to remain at the club he joined as a teenager in 1997.

 

With 17 international caps and 313 Premier League appearances to his name, Barry is a seasoned campaigner whose stock has risen in recent seasons thanks to a string of influential performances for both club and country.

 

Former England manager Steve McClaren gave Barry a regular place in his starting line-up and Fabio Capello, his replacement as national team manager, has continued to select him in his preferred central midfield role, despite competition from the likes of Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Manchester United's Michael Carrick.

 

Now Benitez is keen to make him his first acquisition of the summer and Liverpool's offer will test their determination to keep hold of their star player.

 

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Liverpool make £10m bid for Gareth Barry - Liverpool Echo.co.uk

[stringvest]

Hurrah! He's a good player. Someone's leaving our CM this close season.

[El Rojo]

Could Rafa want him as a left wing back? Doesn't seem particulaly mobile though.

[Xabi D]

Depressing stuff.

[Owen]

Yep, I'd be dead chuffed with Barry. We've never really replaced Danny Murphy's boring name either.

[Strontium]

Great player, I hope we get him. His set pieces alone would bring us 10+ extra goals a season.

[billybonzo]

About time too, cant wait to see him in a red shirt holding a scarf above his head, go get him Rafa.

[Dirk]

Excellent. Barry is a superb player.

[Rashid]

We have made a £10m bid for Barry.

 

We need a few more Central Midfielders.

 

Depressing stuff.

[Rashid]

Excellent. Barry is a superb player.

 

Superb? I wonder what you make of players like Pirlo then.

[sh#t waffle]

Excellent. Barry is a superb player.

 

Agree, he'd slot in nicely.

[Crazyhorse7778]

Great player, I hope we get him. His set pieces alone would bring us 10+ extra goals a season.

 

Not until we sort out how our players attack the ball they won't.

[Rashid]

I don't care who he signs if I am honest.

 

Title challenge next season, or he leave. Simple.

[Ritchi3]

Be a great signing, cant see them letting him leave for just £10m though.

[El Rojo]

Superb? I wonder what you make of players like Pirlo then.

 

We. Can't. Afford. Players. Who. Cost. £25m.

 

It really, really isn't rocket science.

[keysaint]

i'm hoping he's earmarked for left back

[Malarkey]

Behave, Rash.

[Mr T]

Barry will be a good replacement for Xabi.

[billybonzo]

Will add a touch of quality & balance down the left channel, about time we had somebody who was good at set pieces.

[Xabi D]

The upsetting part is that if we put that money with the sale of a Pennant or Crouch we could afford to buy someone of a really high quality, instead we decide to squandle it on Barry, i struggle to think of any way he will improve us.

[Crazyhorse7778]

To be honest I think this is absolute madness, we have Xabi, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas as well as Plessis and Spearing in the reserves able to play in Barry's best position.

 

Yes he can play left back, but he isn't very good at it, his career was stagnating until he moved away from there into a position he prefers and is much better at, a position we are very well covered in.

 

I'd prefer we spent this money on a specialist full back or winger, not someone who can do a job there.

[Dirk]

Will add a touch of quality & balance down the left channel, about time we had somebody who was good at set pieces.

 

I doubt he will be our left back, he's quite mobile in midfield, strong, committed, can drive forward when needed, I reckon he'd be superb at recycling the second ball in our formation and he has a decent shot on him too.

[Xabi D]

Will add a touch of quality & balance down the left channel, about time we had somebody who was good at set pieces.

 

Is that what we're paying £10m for? someone who is simply good at set pieces:wallbutt:

[billybonzo]

The upsetting part is that if we put that money with the sale of a Pennant or Crouch we could afford to buy someone of a really high quality, instead we decide to squandle it on Barry, i struggle to think of any way he will improve us.

 

Who else would you squandle the money on then ?

[Rashid]

How can anyone want Barry for the left hand side? He isn't a winger and he can't defend! He is also slow... if he comes he has come as a replacement for Xabi (I hope) which means Lucas is blocked.

 

Waste of money when we could put it towards a world class attacking player now Xabi says he wants to stay.