After fighting tooth and nail with Villa boss Martin O’Neill over midfielder Gareth Barry, it appears that after some consideration, the Midlands club are finally ready to give in to Liverpool’s final offer.

Martin O’Neill is ready to accept Liverpool’s £15 million offer for Gareth Barry now that Steve Finnan has been offered in a part-exchange deal. As Barry, the England midfield player, was expressing his disappointment at the controversial nature of his departure from Aston Villa, the manager was preparing to sign Steve Sidwell as a midfield replacement.

Sidwell is due to have talks with Luiz Felipe Scolari over the next 24 hours, when it is believed that the new Chelsea manager will confirm that the midfield player, signed from Reading on a free transfer last summer, will be told that he can join Villa for £5 million. (The Times)

With Sidwell currently on the way out at Chelsea and potentially heading to Villa, the move for Barry could be in the final stages. And to think, all it took was the original £15m offer plus right-back Steve Finnan to force Martin’s hand. Both parties should be more than happy to see this whole saga come to an end. The only sad party involved could be the national media, that covered this story from every view possible for the last month.

Are Villa supporters please to get £15m and Finnan for Gareth Barry? Can Sidwell make a return to his Reading days at Villa?