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Liverpool have finally agreed a fee for England International Gareth Barry from Aston Villa on Wednesday, which should end one of the longest running transfer sagas of the summer, according to the Mail online.

Straight after signing Irish International Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur in a reportedly £20million deal, the Reds have now agreed a fee of of £19million for the Villans captain , which will see Anfield full-back Steve Finnan travel the opposite way to Villa Park.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez had already had four bids turned down by Villa for Barry, but it now seems that Barry will finally make the switch to Anfield for £17.5million plus Finnan, who is valued at £1.5million by the Reds.

Premier League rivals Arsenal had been tracking the situation, but look to have lost out to Liverpool, which is where the England man had always stated was the club he wanted to join.



如果係真呢個代價比我想像中高好多, anyway 可惜 Finnan 無得係利記收山....

BY CCHL8

Premier League - O'Neill: Barry could still go
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has revealed that Gareth Barry's move to Liverpool is back on after a meeting with the player and his representatives.

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The England international can now move to Anfield as soon as Villa's £18million valuation is met.

Earlier in the week it had appeared that Barry would be staying at Villa Park after a 5pm deadline on Wednesday was passed without a deal being concluded, with reports stating it had been missed by a matter of minutes.

But O'Neill has revealed that the player and his agent Alex Black sought a meeting with O'Neill and chairman Randy Lerner the following morning demanding that the transfer be resurrected.

And O'Neill has now decided to show the door to a player he regards as having gone back on his word.

He said: "I met with Gareth, his agent and the chairman last Monday and we agreed a 5pm deadline. It was not a coercion, it was an agreement. We felt the situation needed to be resolved and Gareth and his agent agreed with this.

"Liverpool made their first intention of signing Gareth clear four months ago and they have known for some time that Gareth wanted to go and what the price was.

"It was not a case of Liverpool being 15 minute late for a deadline, that was simply not true. The position was clear before the deadline that they were unable to do anything before that stage.

"So because of that we at the football club were naturally delighted - we were thinking that that was it because we had the prior agreement of Gareth and his agent.

"Unfortunately the following morning Gareth and his agent came in to say that even though the deadline had passed it was not really.

"They felt, seemingly, that Liverpool could still do the deal.

"I was obviously very disappointed that that was still part of the scenario still going forward.

"I gave it some thought and realised that at the end of it all there was little point in pretending. Gareth would want to join Liverpool and therefore there would be no deadline.

"I have agreed with Gareth now that Liverpool have got all the time in the world if they want to raise the money.

"That's the case. That's it. It is up to Liverpool, Gareth and his agent now. The ball is firmly in Liverpool's court, that's fine, not a problem.

"I have got to get on with things. I have got to manage a football club and I want to manage one where some players still want to be part of it.

"The chairman and myself are particularly disappointed but that's the way it is.

"Liverpool will get their wish and Gareth and his agent will get their wish at some stage between now and whenever it is."

O'Neill made it clear he was not intending to drop the price to speed up the deal however, especially as Liverpool had managed to rustle up £18million to buy Robbie Keane from Spurs.

He said: "It seems they can find money for another player who wasn't in the equation certainly four months ago and certainly two months ago."

Barry refused to comment after spending all 90 minutes of Villa's 1-1 friendly draw at Reading on the bench.

He said: "I have been told not to say anything."
Liverpool owners agree to finance Gareth Barry deal

Liverpool's American owners will put in place the finance to finally buy Gareth Barry from Aston Villa for £18million by the end of the week.

And that will allow Anfield boss Rafa Benitez to dig in his heels and hold out for a massive fee if he sells midfielder Xabi Alonso. Tycoons Tom Hicks and George Gillett are ready to underwrite the Barry transfer to ensure it gets done.

Benitez had originally been told to raise the money for new signings himself, and he was looking to sell Alonso in order to pay for the purchase of 27-year-old Barry.

But with Juventus and Arsenal reluctant to pay more than £10m for the Spanish international, the Yanks have been persuaded to finance the deal with Villa independently.

And there is a chance Liverpool will get the transfer done to see the England player (right) make his debut against Lazio on Friday night.

Benitez believes that after helping Spain win the European crown, Alonso has proved himself to be one of the continent's most experienced midfielders.

Benitez insisted: "The value of Alonso in the transfer market will be high. We're really pleased with him and don't want him to go if it's not a very good price."






咁即係呢個禮拜就搞掂啦,我件作客等住印佢架~
Gareth Barry unhappy at delay over Liverpool switch


Gareth Barry would consider pulling the plug on his prospective move to Liverpool from Aston Villa if the transfer is not resolved come the start of the Barclays Premier League season in eight days' time.

Barry is eager to join Liverpool, but the England midfield player is becoming increasingly concerned about the amount of time the deal is taking, after Villa paved the way for the move last weekend, and he is not willing to wait much longer.

Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, has been waiting patiently for Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr to produce the cash promised to him last week, but that has yet to materialise amid rumours that the club's American owners have run into more financial difficulties, claims that were strenuously denied yesterday.

If the Americans do not stump up the money, Benítez's hopes of landing Barry will be dependent on him offloading Jermaine Pennant, the winger, and Andriy Voronin, the striker, given that he already has about £10 million in the coffers. However, Liverpool have yet to receive an offer for either player.



依家到我地呢邊出現問題﹐ 呢單野搞甘耐每一個 party 都真係唔想再等落去
Parry defends Barry stance
Reds chief executive claims midfielder's price is 'too high'


Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry insists the club's American owners are not questioning Rafa Benitez's judgement in the pursuit of Gareth Barry.

Benitez has been keen to add Aston Villa midfielder Barry to his squad, but the Reds had been unable to agree a fee with their Premier League rivals.

Speaking after Friday's friendly win over Lazio, Benitez suggested he could still sign Barry and that the situation was 'not a question of money'.

However, there have been reports that Liverpool owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are unwilling to spend £18million on the England international.

Parry is adamant the owners will back Benitez in the transfer market, but has stated the price being quoted for Barry is 'too high'.

Backing Rafa

"There has been a lot of comment today regarding our position with regards to Gareth Barry," Parry told the club's official website.

"This is not about questioning the manager's judgement or the ability of a particular player.

"The owners have clearly demonstrated throughout the year they are willing to back Rafa in the transfer market and will continue to do so.

"It is obviously the selling club's prerogative to put whatever price they want on the player, but on this occasion Liverpool think the price quoted is too high."





派利話兩位美國老細唔肯俾18m黎買巴利
佢話覺得呢個價太貴

搞左咁耐先至嫌貴
真係無話可說
Rafael Benitez still wants Gareth Barry

Classic Times Fantasy Football is back. We got two great games for you to play and £100K to be won

Rafael Benítez has declared himself “calm” as Liverpool prepare to start their season this evening with their summer-long pursuit of Gareth Barry still up in the air, but the suspicion remains that this calm could be the prelude to another storm.

Despite his board’s decision to veto an £18 million deal, Benítez is determined to proceed with a deal to sign Barry from Aston Villa and he will urge the club’s American owners to back his judgment once the small matter of tonight’s Champions League qualifying match in Belgium is out of the way.

Benítez refused to be drawn on Barry at last night’s press conference in advance of this evening’s first leg against Standard Liège, the champions of Belgium, saying only that he was “calm” and that he was “concentrating on the game”. But he is known to be unhappy at the refusal of Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the owners, to sanction the signing of Barry and will urge them and Rick Parry, the chief executive, to support him by making a restructured bid, aware that the England midfield player may choose to commit his future to Villa if no deal is reached by the weekend.

O'Neill - Barry future still unclear

Villa boss cannot say star midfielder is staying


Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill does not believe Gareth Barry being ineligible for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for Liverpool will affect his future.

Liverpool have been chasing the England international all summer, but have so far been unable to match the Midland club's valuation of the experienced midfielder.

Villa are keen to reach the group stage of the Uefa Cup and O'Neill has confirmed Barry wanted to start their second qualifying round match against FH Hafnarfjordur in Reykjavik.

Unclear
Although Barry's appeal to Liverpool will have been damped somewhat as he is now cup-tied, O'Neill is still unsure whether he will remain at Villa Park come the close the transfer window.

"He's our player, and he wanted to play in the game, and we think he's mentally tuned into it so that's all that matters," he told five.

"I wouldn't be particularly sure until the transfer deadline passes what might materialise, so we'll see."



O'neill 話unclear喎
姐係未到最後一刻barry都有機會黎啦

Barry transfer saga riles Benitez

Benitez is keen to recruit Barry to bolster Liverpool's midfield

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has pointedly criticised the club's board for failing to secure midfielder Gareth Barry's transfer from Aston Villa.

Benitez first expressed an interest in the midfielder, 27, in April, but four months on he remains a Villa player.

And, speaking after the Reds' 1-0 win over Sunderland, he said: "Co-owner Tom Hicks said we do have the money.

"We have to be quicker. If the manager has an idea and it is not a question of money... it has to be his decision."

Liverpool released a statement last week confirming that, despite being identified by Benitez as a transfer target, the club's hierarchy were unwilling to match Villa's reported £18m valuation.

The statement added that "this is not about questioning the manager's judgement or the ability of a particular player" - but the issue has rankled Benitez, who told the media on Friday to ask chief executive Rick Parry about the Barry negotiations.

And Benitez did not take long to return to the Barry transfer saga following Liverpool's win at the Stadium of Light.

"We have sold players for more than £20m in the summer, and Hicks told me 'if you sell players you can buy with that too'," he said."

"I have the support of at least one of the owners. I sent emails to all of them, but he (Hicks) was clear we had the money.

"It is not something I can explain. You have to analyse it - but to me it is clear: they were supporting me if we had money, and we do have money."

Last season Benitez had a very public falling out with owners Tom Hicks, George Gillett and his latest comments hint at frustration over the lines of communication between Parry and the Americans.

Hicks and Gillett publicly fell out earlier this year over the latter's desire to sell the club to Dubai International Capital, while Hicks called for Parry to resign in April during the ongoing row.

But, despite Hicks apparently supporting the purchase over Gillett and Parry, Benitez insists he is "100%" happy to stay on as manager of the club, contrary to media reports.

"I don't read headlines on the day of the game, but my commitment is 100% - with the fans, with the players and with the club in general," he said.

"I say 100 times my family is happy here - we want to win trophies at this club because it is a massive club.

"If we have problems because we are not doing things which, in my opinion as a manager we could do, I will work as hard as I can for the club."

Any potential Barry transfer has been complicated by his appearance in Villa's Uefa Cup tie against FH Hafnarfjordur on Thursday, which rules him out of playing in the Champions League group stages.

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