Rafa Benitez sights still on Gareth Barry
LIVERPOOL will remain confident of sealing the signature of Gareth Barry despite his return to pre-season training with Aston Villa today.
The Midlands club released a statement last night confirming their captain - who they value at £18million - would return to their Bodymoor Heath HQ this morning.
It came less than a fortnight after Martin O'Neill fined Barry a reported two-weeks' wages and declared he wouldn't be allowed back to training after the player publicly criticised his manager for the handling of the transfer saga a fortnight ago.
But with O'Neill also admitting Arsenal have asked to kept informed of Barry's status, he is aware of the need to avoid too much disruption to his pre-season preparations.
Villa have accepted the midfielder's desire for Champions League football but know that he will only yield their asking price if he is kept to the peak of his fitness during the summer.
Indeed, Barry's return to training is merely more evidence that his club are prepared to accept his departure for something more in the region of the £15million Liverpool are prepared to pay.
Manager Rafael Benitez is reluctant to abandon the deal at this stage and is pondering a fifth bid as Arsenal's interest gathers momentum.
But his chances of netting both Barry and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane still hinge on pushing through a big-money departure to subsidise his outlay.
Those hopes were dealt an emphatic blow yesterday when Juventus confirmed that they are not in the market for any more players, thus calling off their pursuit of Xabi Alonso.
Monday's capture of the Danish international Christian Poulsen from Sevilla indicated that they had found a cheaper midfield option.
"Everyone knows that the transfer market ends on August 31," said Juve president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli. "But if I have to be honest, unless something extraordinary happens, we can say that we have concluded our transfer activity."
Alonso may well attract interest from Premier League clubs despite his £14m asking price. Allowing him to leave for much less would defeat the object of trying to sell him to meet Barry's valuation.
Liverpool are certain to gain at least £4m from the sale of Scott Carson as they have already accepted a bid of that amount from Stoke City.
But Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers also see prepared to boost Anfield coffers with offers for the England goalkeeper.
"I think there is one or two other clubs involved in the mix and agents are working between the clubs and we will see which way it drops," Stoke manager Tony Pulis said.
"We have made an offer and if we can do it, we can do it, if we can't we will move on."
Rovers are also keen on Jermaine Pennant, but he doesn't command the kind of transfer fee Benitez needs to complete his desired squad building. Another option would be to risk holding out for the sale of Alonso until towards the end of the summer transfer window on August 31.
This would then at least give Benitez some central midfield reinforcements for the start of the season, when he will be without Beijing-bound Javier Mascherano and Lucas.
Mascherano is, however, in line to make an appearance for Liverpool tonight in their second pre-season friendly of the summer against FC Lucerne in Grechen, Switzerland (6.35pm).
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i just want to say that am a fan frommalawi who is a liverpool fan. here in malawi, we try to buy jurseys and any liverpool thing. but we arenothappy with how liverpool is buying players. Liverpool is a world class team and it also has to buy world class players. i am concerned with the way the club is using its money compared to other big clubs in england. this is bringing in fears beacause the likes of man utd,arsenal and chelsea are buying top class players and liverpool is still repeating the mistakes it made last season and the way tottenham and other teams are using their money in transfers, i see no reason why LFC could appear 6th or 7th in the league. please rafa there is still time. buy world class players who will lift the premier league title. dont waste money on plyers who donot even appear in their national sides.
Khumbo - Gareth Barry is now a regular in the England team now, and many people feel that he has enabled Gerrard to play better for England
It is likely that Benitez has seen this and hopes a similar role can be given to Barry at Liverpool.