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The Rumour

MANCHESTER City and Spurs are in a £12m head-to-head battle for Gareth Barry.

Barry is set to quit Aston Villa after the club failed to qualify for Champions League football next season, and he is wanted by both Mark Hughes and Harry Redknapp.

The 28-year-old would prefer a move to either Liverpool or Arsenal – but at the moment neither club are showing interest in the England midfielder

The Source: (Daily Star)

The Analysis

If Gareth Barry starts next season at Aston Villa I will eat my knee! The England international came ever so close to clinching a move to Anfield last summer but was persuaded to give the midlands side one more season in the hope that he could achieve Champions League qualification and for half of the season it seemed like an inspired decision but as many predicted Martin O’Neill’s side fell short of their task as their small squad failed to negotiate the rigours of the Premier League season.

Spurs and Man City join Liverpool in the chase for the one club man who has just one season left on his contract so either way this will be a summer of choices for the 28 year old. Either he signs a new deal at the club he has represented since he was controversially nabbed from Brighton back in 1997 or he doesn’t sign a new deal in which case Randy Lerner will be forced to cash in on the player to avoid letting him run out his deal and leave for free.

The fee seems a little steep given the contract issue but any buyer will be getting a player who is at his peak and clearly raring to go on a new challenge but I thought he wanted Champions League football? No disrespect intended to either of Redknapp or Hughes’ men but neither side has that to offer at this stage.

The Likelihood

Barry to leave Aston Villa: Liverpool is still the most likely destination.

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