GWistooshort

Jermaine Pennant is a "possibility" for Aston Villa, along with reported Liverpool target James Milner & Aaron Lennon. Villa are looking for a right-winger & have withdrawn their interest in David Bentley having had one bid rejected. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-s...97319-21382475/ Ricardo Quaresma's agent has said "Now is the best time to leave Porto for a big European club", with reports suggesting Inter Milan "are close to agreeing" a £20m deal for Quaresma, who has also been linked with Man Utd & Liverpool. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11854_3851727,00.html

Guillem Balague update on David Villa........... 22/07/2008 Valencia crisis puts Villa and Silva back on the market What a complicated situation at Valencia. The new ‘boss’ at the club (alongside the chairman, Juan Soler) is Juan Vilallonga. He arrived at the club with the promise of guaranteed funds to the value of €408 million; unfortunately nobody has seen this money yet and things are in such a mess that he could even be sacked this same week if his attempts at securing funds and an increase in available capital are not approved. How does that affect David Villa or David Silva? The club knows that one of them has to be sold and I have the impression that Juan Soler had promised Villa’s agent he could leave for the right amount of money - around €40 million: a promise that will obviously have to be respected by Vilallonga. My guess is that if Cristiano Ronaldo ends up not going to Madrid, Real will try to poach Villa for that amount of money. If the Portuguese arrives, Madrid will try to put an agreement in place by which Villa will become a Merengue next season. Logically, that is something that could happen under normal circumstances. However, the situation at Valencia is so unstable that, to be honest, almost anything is possible: Villa could even go to Madrid this summer and the current climate makes it all very difficult to predict what will happen next. And before you all ask; personally, I still think David Villa will not be going abroad. http://www.guillembalague.com/rumores_desp.php?id=39

That the alternative just isn't worth thinking about?

He's apparently stalling on signing a new contract - was in one of the transfer round ups in the last couple of days - soutce was the BBC Gossip Column which had got it from the Express I think - anyway said it had alerted us, Everton & Villa

A bow tie would however hopefully mean less accidents with the fax machine

No worries guys

Transfer news/speculation from this morning's papers....................... PSG have accepted Liverpool's £1.5m bid for David Ngog, whom Liverpool "want to have...signed this week". "Should the proposed deal go through as expected, Ngog will join up with his new team-mates after they have returned to Melwood on Wednesday." Ngog's arrival "could hasten the departure of Andriy Voronin", who is "interesting Hamburg and could go for £3m". Liverpool also "hope" to complete the transfer of Robbie Keane "shortly - but not before the weekend as had been previously predicted". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...-Liverpool.html Liverpool are "confident" they will sign Keane "this week" & the paper "understands" a deal worth up to £20m, "with Liverpool paying the full amount should they win the Champions League or Premier League while Keane is at the club", is "close to being agreed". "Sources close to Anfield have revealed the club are unconcerned over Levy's complaint to the League and feel most of his ire is aimed at Man Utd". There are also "suspicions at Liverpool it is a public relations ploy to appease Spurs fans, who are angry [at Keane's potential departure]". Levy "has accused Liverpool of approaching Keane and his agent Struan Marshall about a move without Spurs' permission". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...iker-Keane.html Keane's move to Liverpool is the "most imminent" of the departures of Spurs' 3 strikers. Spurs' have inquired about Andrei Arshavin, who they view as Keane's replacement. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footbal...ope-873790.html Liverpool are "closing in" on N’Gog & are "thought to be ready to offer [him]" a 4-year contract. Liverpool "remain confident" of signing Keane & are "considering their response" to the official complaint made by Spurs. Rafa has "pondered a move" for Albert Reira, but "wouldn’t consider paying anything above £8m". "Even then he would only be likely to pursue his interest if he was unable to seal his top two targets of Robbie Keane and Gareth Barry." http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-21380405/ Liverpool are "thought to be ready" to make a fresh bid for James Milner. Kevin Keegan is "at loggerheads with the Newcastle board, who are ready to sell Milner for more than £10m". http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/g...ers/7518696.stm David Villa, who Rafa has admitted is "on the list" of potential striking recruits, has been made available for sale for £32m by Valencia. Valencia are willing to sell one of Villa, David Silva or Joaquin "in a bid to balance the books". Spurs are interested in Villa, but he "would prefer a move to Real Madrid, Barcelona or another team in the Champions League". http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle4368850.ece

Play him in every 3rd cup game & then he'll be averaging better than a goal a game.

Sorry should have said: "Article says Blackburn reckon Bentley's worth the same as Aston Villa's valuation of Barry ie £18m"

Article says Blackburn reckon Bentley's worth the same as Barry ie £18m

Apparently this Marca article says that "Atletico Madrid are preparing an offer of €22 million for David Silva: a figure that was recently turned down but that Valencia may now well be forced to accept". http://www.guillembalague.com/rumores_desp.php?id=38

Espanyol winger Albert Riera admits it would be 'madness' to turn down the opportunity to play for Liverpool. The Spain international has made no secret of his desire to leave Espanyol and Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is keen to bolster the left-side of his midfield. Liverpool have already had one offer for Riera rejected as Primera Liga outfit Espanyol hold out for a fee believed to be in the region of £12million. But Riera - who spent a period on loan at Manchester City in 2006 - remains keen on a permanent return to England. "I know English football and it is an attractive option for players," Riera told Sport. Realistic "If Espanyol do finally receive an offer I do not want to miss the opportunity to go to Liverpool. The option to join a super-club doesn't come every day. "I am a realistic person but this has given me something to look forward to. "To reject the possibility of a move would be madness." Meanwhile, Espanyol's sporting director Paco Herrera insists the club will not rush into a decision on the future of one of their star assets. "It is necessary to study the options and after that we'll make a decision," Herrera added. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11827_3848059,00.html

Marca says Valencia will sell striker David Villa & winger David Silva in order to balance the books. Samuel Eto'o says he has received offers from Chelsea, Spurs & Inter Milan. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/g...ers/7516628.stm Blackburn have indicated they will sell reported Liverpool target David Bentley if they received an offer "in line with current market values". http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport...e_over_Bentley/

In its match report on the Wisla Krackow game this morning the Liverpool Daily Post referred to him as "Ukranian international striker and pre-season specialist Andriy Voronin".

However, "it is thought the Anfield manager would be willing to listen to offers for Pennant to raise funds for squad strengthening". http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-21375360/

Transfer news/speculation from today's papers............. Liverpool are "set" to sign 19-year-old striker David Ngog from PSG for £1.5m after he was recommended to Liverpool by their French scout Laurent Viaud. Ngog, the cousin of former Liverpool target Jean Alain Boumsong, has been told he can leave by PSG after he refused to sign a new contract. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...riker-Ngog.html Liverpool "have made an offer" for Ngog, "who would cost about £1.2m". Liverpool are "expected" to complete the sale of Charles Itandje to Galatasaray "this week". http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle4368850.ece Robbie Keane's transfer to Liverpool "is likely to be concluded this week". "The relationship between Liverpool and Spurs is much less strained [than that between Spurs & Man Utd], chiefly because Liverpool are prepared to pay upwards of £15m [for Keane]". Spurs "expect" to sign reported Liverpool target David Bentley "this week for a fee of around £15m". http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footbal...-up-872852.html Rafa "remains confident of reaching a successful conclusion in his attempt to complete the £20m signing of Keane....within the next week" "despite last week's angry attack on the Liverpool manager by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy" which "Liverpool believe...will come to nothing". Rafa is "also hopeful of completing the £18m transfer of Gareth Barry". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...1/sfnliv121.xml Keane "is expected to complete his transfer from Spurs this week". Jermaine Pennant says he doesn't want to leave Liverpool & Rafa hasn't told him "that he wants to get rid of me" or that “any other club is interested”. However, "it is thought the Anfield manager would be willing to listen to offers for Pennant to raise funds for squad strengthening". http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-21375360/ Aston Villa "could be back" in for reported Liverpool target James Milner after "abandoning" their attempts to sign Bentley. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/g...ers/7516628.stm Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger "has not ruled out moving for...Gareth Barry" saying "we are in the market and if there is a good opportunity we will take it". http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/ju...l.premierleague

Some more transfer news/speculation from today's papers...................... Man City midfielder Michael Johnson is stalling over a signing a new contract, which has alerted Liverpool as well as Aston Villa & Everton. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/g...ers/7515920.stm Newcastle have told Villa that Liverpool target James Milner is available for £10m, although manager Kevin Keegan would prefer to keep him. Liverpool have "cooled" their interest in Milner so Villa are leading the chase for his signature http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/tm_...-name_page.html

Transfer news/speculation from today's papers................... Spurs "claimed last night that they had no choice but to lodge an official complaint, because some of their players had been constantly unsettled by [Man] United and Liverpool for more than a year. A Tottenham source told The Sunday Telegraph: "We have a huge amount of evidence. It's got to the point where two clubs feel they are untouchable in terms of ignoring competition rules. These two managers have gone on the record publicly without the club giving permission and we now have two disenfranchised players who have had their heads turned. If Ferguson comes out fighting, it's because he has something to be worried about. We told Liverpool to go away and they went after Robbie Keane anyway." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...0/sfnman220.xml "Liverpool are prepared to make one final attempt this week to sign Gareth Barry by increasing their cash offer to £16m, but will contact Aston Villa before tabling the bid to ensure it will not be rejected for a fifth time. Villa value Barry at £18m, a fee Liverpool believe they have met by offering £15m and defender Steve Finnan, who they value at £3m. In a bid to end the protracted saga, Liverpool will offer another £1m, but it is understood that is as high as they will go. Arsenal are monitoring events if the deal falls through. It is believed that Barry would jump at the prospect of a switch to the London club." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...Barry-deal.html

Also from today's Echo......................... David Villa a perfect smokescreen Jul 19 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo SIX weeks ago this column predicted that David Villa would be this year's Thierry Henry and so it's proved with the Valencia striker being continually linked with Liverpool despite the fact that there has been absolutely no interest shown in him by anyone at Anfield. Rafa Benitez does rate Villa as a player but his real attacking target for this summer has always been Robbie Keane. If Benitez's budget was larger he would still not be interested in Villa because he feels Keane would be a much better foil for Fernando Torres. All the continued speculation about the top scorer at Euro 2008 did was allow Benitez to use him as a smokescreen while he got on with the real business of trying to come up with an offer to tempt Spurs to part company with Keane. Speculation in certain quarters might suggest otherwise, but David Villa was never on Liverpool's shopping list for this summer. Toon boast so ‘insignificant’ A NORTH east journalist recently slammed Liverpool for offering "non-entities" in a proposed swap deal for Newcastle's James Milner. The "non-entities" in question were Emiliano Insua and Jack Hobbs, while Danny Guthrie was described as being "so insignificant" that the journalist's St James' Park source "could not even recall his name". Guthrie has since completed his move to Newcastle of course and it will be interesting to see how the "insignificant" £2.5m signing will handle his first meeting with that particular journalist. And the less said about the line about it being "not so long ago that Liverpool were trailing in the wake of a Sir Bobby Robson inspired Newcastle," the better, except to point out that since the Magpies won their last trophy of any significance back in 1969 Liverpool have won 35. Trailing in someone else's wake has rarely been so attractive. What bus? I didn’t see it! RAFA BENITEZ had to see the funny side when he boarded the coach from Interlaken to Grenchen for Liverpool's friendly against Lucerne in midweek. Emblazoned all over the bus was the name Wenger which, as well as being the surname of the Arsenal boss, is also the name of one of Switzerland's biggest coach companies. "Is someone trying to tell me something?" joked the Reds boss, causing plenty of laughter amongst his staff. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-f...00252-21365811/

From today's Liverpool Echo............. While Spurs' complaint "is a concern to Liverpool it will not thwart them in their bid to bring Keane to Anfield". "Andriy Voronin could be next through the Anfield exit door with a number of German clubs showing an interest in taking the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man back to the Bundesliga. The Ukrain striker struggled during his debut season in English football, but his stock remains high in Germany, where he enjoyed a successful three year spell. Should any of the interested parties come up with a fee to match Benitez's valuation of the 28-year-old, Voronin will then be allowed to leave Anfield." http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-f...00252-21369015/

Transfer news/speculation from today's papers etc.................... Spurs are "resigned to losing" both Robbie Keane & Dimitar Berbatov & are "privately...insisting that they receive £30m for Berbatov and at least £20m for Keane". Keane has made no secret of his allegiance to Liverpool. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footbal...eal-871900.html Liverpool are "believed to be prepared" to offer £20m for Keane. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...9/sfntot119.xml Rafa is "determined" to sign Keane in a £18m deal & "wants to seal his capture in the next 48 hours". "The fee is the only sticking point as Keane has already made it clear that he wants to move to Anfield." http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...89520-20654472/ Spurs have turned down a bid of less than £20m for Keane from Liverpool. The Premier League will write to Liverpool, Spurs & Man Utd "this week". http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle4361096.ece Liverpool were "unavailable for comment [on Spurs' allegations] last night". http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/ju...anchesterunited A Premier League spokesman has confirmed they have received complaints from Spurs "in relation to alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules which govern approaches to contracted players" & they will now write to Liverpool, Spurs & Man Utd "to ask for their observations before considering the appropriate course of action". http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/ju...anchesterunited Liverpool's official website says there are "further additions [to the squad] in the pipeline". http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...080718-0800.htm Liverpool have inserted a buy-back clause into the deal which saw Scott Carson join West Brom. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...89520-20653245/ Arsenal "are understood to be unwilling to match" Aston Villa's £18m valuation of Gareth Barry. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...as-freedom.html Blackburn have rejected a bid of £9m with payments spread over 4 years from Spurs for reported Liverpool target David Bentley, which they have confirmed was less than the earlier bid they had rejected from Aston Villa. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...s-want-17m.html Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has said they "haven't had any" calls from other clubs about reported Liverpool target Stewart Downing, but if they did he would tell them Downing "is not for sale". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...rs-Downing.html Boro chairman Steve Gibson has said that Downing, rated at £12m & "wanted by Liverpool and Aston Villa", is "not for sale". http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...89520-20654453/

Stoke were reporting no fresh development in their £3m pursuit of Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson today as he weighs up offers from City and West Brom. Pulis has already warned the England international that time is running short as he threatens to look again at the likes of Sunderland's Marton Fulop. http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/...il/article.html

Fenerbahce have emerged as rivals to Liverpool for Albert Riera's signature, skysports.com understands. The Turkish champions have recently appointed Luis Aragones as coach and the man who led Spain to Euro 2008 glory is eager to add some players he knows well to his squad. Daniel Guiza has already moved to Istanbul from Real Mallorca and now Aragones is ready to turn his attention to Riera. Riera spent time on loan at Manchester City in 2006, but since being back with Espanyol he has rejuvenated himself and even become a full international. Liverpool have been strongly linked with Riera for a number of months and now Barcelona-based media are suggesting that The Reds have made fresh contact. Sources claim Liverpool are willing to pay €10million (£7.9million) for Riera, which is €5million short of Espanyol's valuation. However, Espanyol's sporting director Paco Herrera has suggested they are willing to think over any offer, which could give Liverpool hope of sealing a deal. However, Fener are ready to compete with Liverpool and having paid €17.4million for Guiza, the Turkish giants are unlikely to baulk at Riera's asking price. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3829280,00.html

Transfer news/speculation from today's media & any stuff from yesterday that hasn't already been posted...................... Liverpool are "ready to put their move for Gareth Barry on ice unless Aston Villa lower their valuation". With Villa "refusing to budge" on their £18m valuation & Liverpool "not prepared to pay that price" there is "no sign" of a deal being done so Liverpool are "ready to concentrate their efforts on bringing in Rafa Benitez’s remaining summer transfer targets". However, "Barry’s desire to quit Villa Park has not lessened, nor has Benitez’s desire to bring him to Anfield – meaning O’Neill will have to decide whether or not he wants to do deal with Liverpool or face the prospect of keeping a player who has already publicly admitted he sees his future elsewhere". With the new Premiership season set to begin in just a month Rafa "knows he cannot afford to see his team building plans held up any longer by Villa’s refusal to lower their price". Rafa "is keen to add two more new recruits to his squad and will now concentrate his efforts on bringing those players to Anfield before looking at the Barry situation again once more, unless O’Neill is prepared to compromise in the meantime". http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-f...00252-21350419/ Barry could start the season as a Villa player, after "it emerged that Rafael Benítez was beginning to explore other options in the transfer market" having "become exasperated with Villa's refusal to negotiate over their £18m valuation". Barry was expected to hold talks with O'Neill yesterday, but those discussions are now likely to take place today after the Villa manager spent yesterday in meetings. Barry "is keen to push through a move to Liverpool", although there is "no sense" that Villa will drop their asking price. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/ju...villa.liverpool Barry "remains on course for a move to Liverpool" & "has kept himself in shape" while off training. http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-s...97319-21350755/ An £18m fee for Barry is "likely to be agreed" comprising of £15m plus Steve Finnan. Barry is "anxious to leave immediately" & "could buy himself out of the final year of his contract in 12 months time for just £2m". He "has kept in shape practising on his own at non-League Lewes Town". http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...89520-20645383/ Barry suffered a foot injury on his return to training at Villa yesterday. The injury "is not supposed to be serious" but will rule him out of first-team action "until next week". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...ment-table.html Barry's return to training is due to PFA rules "which govern that a player cannot be banned from his workplace for longer than two weeks". Villa boss Martin O’Neill is still "resigned to losing Barry" who "expects to get his way soon". "There have been claims from Anfield" that they have "a fall-back option [for Barry] who would cost little more than £6m". Rafa currently "does not have enough funds to sign both Keane and Barry, but he remains confident of offloading Alonso, as well as Scott Carson". He is "expected to reject a loan bid from Newcastle for Emiliano Insua and an ambitious inquiry from Olympiacos for Lucas". Villa have "registered an interest" in reported Liverpool target Stewart Downing. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle4340018.ece Villa are "considering a bid" for Downing & have made "discrete moves regarding his availability". Liverpool are also "monitoring" Downing, but Boro are "adamant" he's not for sale. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...89520-20645342/ According to "a source close to O'Neill": "When Gareth returns he will have to do a serious amount of grovelling". Barry has returned to training "following confirmation from Anfield that Rafael Benitez does not have the money to tie up his main summer target". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...ld-bridges.html Barry is "certainly an option" for Arsenal who believe that he "could be persuaded to come to London" as they look to replace Flamini & Gilberto Silva, but "not at Martin O'Neill's valuation" with Arsène Wenger "unconvinced that Barry is value for money at the £18m asking price". http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footbal...art-869564.html Arsenal are "expected to make an official approach" for Barry. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...idfielders.html Reports in Spain suggest Arsenal have made contact with Liverpool about Xabi Alonso & his agent has said "the player knows about this subject and now the decision lies with Liverpool". http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_3825590,00.html "Claims in Spain that Alonso has attracted the attention of Arsenal have been flatly denied by the clubs and the player's agent". Atletico Madrid have shown interest in Alonso in the past, although he would prefer a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona. Liverpool are "seriously short" of transfer funds & may "have to give up hope of signing" Barry or Robbie Keane. They have already been "priced out of moves for Newcastle's James Milner and Espanyol's Albert Riera". http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...89520-20645379/ Reported Liverpool target Milner wants to stay at Newcastle, but is seeking a pay increase. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...89520-20645725/ Arsenal's possible signing of Xabi Alonso "remains a viable option". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...7/sfnars117.xml Liverpool "would be loathe to sell [Alonso] to their Premier League rivals [Arsenal]". They are hoping Atletico Madrid & Fenerbahce follow up tentative enquiries with firm offers. Robbie Keane's move to Liverpool is "still in the balance". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...-Zaki-rest.html According to "a source close to Alonso": "If the decision was down to Xabi, he would make the move because Arsenal’s style is perfect for him". Keane "has made it clear [to Spurs] he wants to move to Anfield". http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...ry-20m-bid.html Spurs are "bracing themselves for a substantial bid" for Keane, with Liverpool "expected to make an official offer in the next few days" as their "transfer priority shifts away" from Barry. Spurs are keen to keep Keane & will ask for £20m, which Liverpool considers "exorbitant". Keane is "desperate" for a move to Anfield. Rafa "still wants to bring Barry to the club, but will only move if Villa lower their asking price". http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-21355675/ Spurs are "determined to ward off any interest" in Keane & are "confident the player will remain at the club having signed a new five-year contract last May". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...ufnkeane116.xml Liverpool have "stepped up their efforts" to sign Keane & Rafa has "instructed his board to try to conclude a deal by the start of next week". Spurs "maintain that they are unwilling to sell" Keane, but Liverpool believe that "having been informed of [the] player's determination to move" Spurs "will sell at the right price", likely to be in the region of £18m. Rafa "remains committed" to signing Barry, although Liverpool are unable to sign both Keane & Barry without raising more funds, probably by selling Alonso. Liverpool do not take the reports linking Arsenal with Barry & Alonso "seriously" & "are confident that they will find an overseas buyer for Alonso, such as Atlético Madrid, before concluding a deal for Barry". Villa are "willing to accept Steve Finnan as a makeweight in a deal for Barry, but have taken issue with Liverpool’s valuation of £3m". http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle4347543.ece Keane is "receptive to the notion of joining them [Liverpool]", but Spurs "will play hardball in any attempt to prise him away". Spurs "are close" to signing reported Liverpool target David Bentley for £15m. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/ju...ottenhamhotspur Middlesbrough "could make a late bid" for Carson. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...89520-20645380/ Sergio Aguero, who has been linked with Liverpool, has said he wants to stay at Atletico Madrid "for one or two years more". Former reported Liverpool target Pablo Aimar says he will sign for Benfica. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/g...ers/7508803.stm

From the Liverpool Daily Post website............. Gareth Barry back in training say Aston Villa Jul 15 2008 Gareth Barry, Aston Villa _320 Aston Villa outcast Gareth Barry returns to training tomorrow for the first time since his fall-out with boss Martin O’Neill over the Liverpool transfer saga. The Midlanders went to the extent of announcing skipper Barry’s return in an official statement, saying that the midfielder would be returning to training at the club’s Bodymoor Heath HQ. O’Neill had initially fined Barry a reported two-weeks’ wages of £60,000 and banned him from all club premises almost two weeks ago after the player had launched an attack on his manager’s handling of the on-going row over his proposed move to Liverpool. The new twist in the saga throws up interesting situations, with O’Neill confirming this week that Arsenal had asked to be kept informed of developments. The key is that nobody wants an unfit player on their hands. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez last week suggested privately that they would not be prepared to pay an £18million transfer fee for a player who had missed a significant part of crucial pre-season training. Liverpool and Villa are at stalemate over the proposed move, with the Anfield club still to meet O’Neill’s demands. The fitness issue would also concern another prospective buyer, as well as Villa who would also not want a player in their squad patently unfit. It is believed that Barry has not been doing any significant training on his own. As the bitter negotiations have continued over the past couple of weeks, it has even been suggested that Liverpool’s resolve to continue haggling has decreased. With the prospective sale of Xabi Alonso for £16m to Juventus now having fallen through - and with the player stating he did not want to leave the club -Liverpool have now turned their attentions to trying to sign Spurs striker Robbie Keane. And there are certainly sources at Anfield who do not believe Barry is worth £18m or that he is a better player than Alonso. Benitez said last week: "Xabi wants to stay because he is happy here. I have talked to him, he knows my ideas and he knows why. So we will try to find a solution for him, for us, and the best for the club." That solution may well end with Alonso staying and Barry not moving to Liverpool. Despite the Villa man making it plain to O’Neill that he wants to move to Anfield, the Midlanders’ boss would surely love to see Barry move to Arsenal - if he is going to leave - rather than Liverpool, considering the months of rancour between the clubs. Barry now has a choice to make. Does he continue to insist that the move to Liverpool is still his main objective or does he try for a way out of the difficult position he now finds himself in? Although Villa are playing in the Intertoto Cup on Saturday against Odense, it would seem highly unlikely that O’Neill would want to use the player in the match considering his lack of fitness. Even if he did make such a decision, it would not cup-tie Barry for either Arsenal or Liverpool. Recent rule changes mean that players cannot be cup-tied from one European tournament to another. Barry’s return to training could even be a prelude to the deal with Liverpool finally going through, with his lack of fitness not allowed to become an issue. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-21346775/