Martin O’Neill has moved to pre-empt any January
speculation about the future of Gareth Barry by declaring that,
following talks with the player, his former captain has agreed to
remain with Aston Villa until the end of the season.
Barry was the subject of one of the summer’s more tortuous
transfer sagas as his on-off move to Liverpool was finally ended
when The Reds refused to match Villa’s reported £18 million asking
price for the England international.
The player’s decision to go public on his desire to move to
Anfield saw him fined and stripped of the captaincy by O’Neill but
Barry has retained his central role in the club’s plans and has
started all 14 of Villa’s Premier League games so far this
season.
His long-term future remains in doubt given that he can, in
theory, buy out his contract at the end of the season, but Barry
has told O’Neill he will certainly not leave Villa Park before that
date, according to a statement from the club on their official
website.
O’Neill also believes that Barry’s all-action displays this
season have demonstrated his commitment to the Villa cause.
“Gareth is committed to Villa and this has been illustrated in
his performances so far this season,” O’Neill told the club’s
official website.