Lucas in my opinion is best in an advanced role, Gerrard-esque. I can't see him replacing Alonso.

I could easily see Barry displacing Alonso though, as Lucas sort of did briefly earlier, but it's more dependant on the form of Alonso. As Sticky said, i think Xabi at his best is better than Barry at his best.

Personally, as i've said, i'd have Barry at Liverpool to play regularly at left-back; or as a replacement should Alonso leave. He could come in for either reason in my opinion. There's definitely room for him if he's willing to play as full-back.

I can't for the life of me seeing Wenger going for him though. Just does not seem like a move he would make.

Neither can i. For a start, he's English - i don't mean that in the way the media are forever insinuating, but as we all know, English players are overpriced, and Wenger has always been reluctant to pay over the odds for someone because of their nationality, and rightly so.

Add to that his age, and i think it's unlikely Wenger will seriously bid for him.

Arsene never buys oldies and almost never buys English. I doubt he will buy Barry.

I think he's better off staying at Villa. He won't get in a top four side at centre midfield (would get in Liverpool side at full back but nowhere else) and Villa are a team on the up with money and a great manager and Barry is at the centre of that. Seems like madness for him to leave.

He should go to Liverpool. He's a better player than Alonso and he could form a good partnership in the centre with Mascherano. I think Rafa might finally have caught himself on and decided to get rid of Alsono. Pass completion rate of 4% all season. The odd 40yard cross-field ball blurs the view of Liverpool supporters though

My Prediction:
Alonso to Spain somewhere
Lucas(who i think isn't good enough for 1st team football) will probably stay at the club, OR will be sent out on loan.
That leaves Gerrard, Mascharano, and Barry...throw Babel in there and that's Liverpool's midfield.

Barry to Liverpool in the summer!

Nah in my opinion hes a very good player and is definately good enugh for first team football.

Barry isn't the man to solve our left sided midfield problem OWEN_ENG. I can think of another Englishman at that club who possibly could though.

how much do you think he would cost?

Who, Young?

No sure, but as Villa paid around £10m for him, and he's improved so much since then, you'd probably be looking at around double.

£20 is a lot! he has showed hes good though. It would be interesting if you guys made an offer. He would find it hard to turn down Liverpool. I like babel anyways, why didnt he start tonight.

£20 million for Young?!?! No way. That would be another prime example of English players being sold for more than they are worth. Barry is apparently only going to fetch around £13-15 million.

Yeah, exactly. I'm not saying he's worth that, but i do think that's how much Villa would expect for him.
He is younger and has more potential than both Carrick and Bent, and look how much they went for.


Jackpot - Babel didn't start because he was used as an impact sub, like against Arsenal in the quarters. It worked, he made an impact scoring a goal, but unfortunately we were too far behind to catch them, thanks to Drogba's second goal.

yeah, fair enough. i just like him thats al

Barry has officially been linked with Arsenal now. But Wenger is afraid that a bidding war will squeeze Arsenal out of the picture (which might be likely since Wenger isn't going to overpay for anyone).

Arsenal can easily compete. Whether Wenger decide's to is another matter. I doubt he would, as you say papa5murf.

But i like to think if we came up against Arsenal or Chelsea for Barry that Gerrard could persuade him, being a supposedly close friend.

Oh and i'd say Young would be more around the £15million mark, £17million tops. £10million was excessive in the first place, and unless United or Chelsea came in for him i couldn't see that price doubling. Still expensive whatever way you look at it, and not really worth it either.

Young is worth about 7 or 8 tops.

But he obviously wouldn't sell for that amount.

Young would be sold for about twice that. look at the prices that Carrick and Bent were sold for in the past. In my opinion Young shows more promise then both them.

Liverpool have reportedly opened the bidding for Gareth Barry by offering £10m for the Aston Villa captain. Pool are thought to have contacted Villa yesterday - an interesting and immediate response to their Champions League exit. Perhaps they are trying to get in ahead of Arsenal, although Arsene Wenger continues to hope that Mathieu Flamini will stay. Your thoughts to: theeditor@football365.com

Thers no smoke without a fire come on rafa sign barry

BREAKING NEWS!



My guess that the players will be Crouch and Carson definitely - maybe Riise too, but only because the article makes it sound as though we've offered more than two players.

Exciting.