[Miyazaki]

Liverpool can't shift Alonso and can't afford Barry unless he goes. Barry was recieved well in this evening's victory over Odense. Villa are a step closer to European footy next season, which is what Barry is after.

O'Neill has stated that he is prepared to bury the hatchet and involve Barry if his frame of mind improves. I have to say that the longer this saga goes on, the less likely Barry looks to be leaving, whether he wants to or not.

[overkill]

Yes. If Liverpool sell one more player, meaning they can meet Villas asking price - he's gone.

That's the way it is these days.

[yocky]

He's going nowhere. We need him at left back now.

[Chaos]

I can't see why there is such a big demand for him. I don't think he is worth what Villa want for him. Liverpool seem to pay over the odds for quite a few of their players (Crouch, Pennant and now possilby barry).

[istanbul05]

Originally Posted by Chaosx

I can't see why there is such a big demand for him. I don't think he is worth what Villa want for him. Liverpool seem to pay over the odds for quite a few of their players (Crouch, Pennant and now possilby barry).

Crouch! £7m was a bargain considering he was sold for £11m with only a year left on his contract. Owen was sold for £8m when he only had a year left. Personally i think Barry is a great player and would be a big improvement on Alonso who just hasn't been the same since his first season. Maybe not worth £18m, but i'd be happy to see Rafa pay £15m for him.

[Steven]

Liverpool cannot afford anyone outright as they are a selling club

But I think at the moment the priority is with a striking reinforcement rather than Barry. Xabi Alonso remaining at Anfield is not the end of the world

[Chaos]

Originally Posted by istanbul05

Crouch! £7m was a bargain considering he was sold for £11m with only a year left on his contract. Owen was sold for £8m when he only had a year left. Personally i think Barry is a great player and would be a big improvement on Alonso who just hasn't been the same since his first season. Maybe not worth £18m, but i'd be happy to see Rafa pay £15m for him.

Yeah but then £11m is also far more than he is worth! It seems commonplace in the Premiership now for clubs to pay over the odds for English players. I just don't see how Barry could fetch £18m when Luka Modric only went for £16m and Deco only for £8m.

[thfccambs]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

Liverpool cannot afford anyone outright as they are a selling club

Can't be that broke as there be paying close to £20m for
Keane in the next 48hrs.

As for Barry i think he'll move on but it won't be to Liverpool.

[yocky]

Let's face it, you know exactly what you're getting with Barry. He might not be as technically gifted as some of the players mentioned, but he's pretty much guaranteed to complement Gerrard perfectly and he's not going to be angling for another move after a year. Villa don't need to sell either and he's not going to be demanding £100,000 a week.

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by Chaosx

Yeah but then £11m is also far more than he is worth! It seems commonplace in the Premiership now for clubs to pay over the odds for English players. I just don't see how Barry could fetch £18m when Luka Modric only went for £16m and Deco only for £8m.

Deco wasn't worth £8m in my opinion, really at the dusk of his career.

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by hunts1uk

Can't be that broke as there be paying close to £20m for
Keane in the next 48hrs.

As for Barry i think he'll move on but it won't be to Liverpool.

Arsenal made enquiries, but I think it was just that.

[overkill]

Originally Posted by Games Guru

Arsenal made enquiries, but I think it was just that.

Too pricey for Wenger. Agree that £18 million is silly money for him.

Good player, but £18 millions worth? I think not.

[overkill]

Originally Posted by istanbul05

Crouch! £7m was a bargain considering he was sold for £11m with only a year left on his contract. Owen was sold for £8m when he only had a year left. Personally i think Barry is a great player and would be a big improvement on Alonso who just hasn't been the same since his first season. Maybe not worth £18m, but i'd be happy to see Rafa pay £15m for him.

So £11 million is a lot considering Crouch became an England regular at Liverpool, and, bearing in mind the ridiculous inflation in transfer fees?

Besides, Liverpool do have a bad rep for buying high, and ending up not getting their moneys worth - regardless of the final sell on price.

[istanbul05]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

Liverpool cannot afford anyone outright as they are a selling club

I still think we have more money than the media seem to think we do. After all we have bought two very big players in the last 2 windows in Torres and Mascherano without selling too many big players. I'd be suprised if the owners don't give Rafa £20m aswell as money raised from sales.

Originally Posted by Chaosx

Yeah but then £11m is also far more than he is worth! It seems commonplace in the Premiership now for clubs to pay over the odds for English players. I just don't see how Barry could fetch £18m when Luka Modric only went for £16m and Deco only for £8m.

I'd agree that £18m may initially sound too much, but u can also compare that figure to the £18m United paid for Carrick and Hargreaves was also near the £20m mark(i think). In my opinion, he is better than Carrick, but it's difficult to compare with Hargreaves because they are slightly different. Yes, Modric and Deco may be more technically gifted, but skill is not important in the Premiership as on the international stage, or even La Liga. Barry's work rate and English mentality is what Rafa is after, and i'd honestly have him over Deco. Modric looks a very good player, but may struggle to adapt in the premiership, which is a major sticking point as it seems Rafa is after premiership proven players.

[overkill]

Originally Posted by istanbul05

Yes, Modric and Deco may be more technically gifted, but skill is not important in the Premiership as on the international stage, or even La Liga.

If ever a truer word was spoken................

[istanbul05]

Originally Posted by overkill

So £11 million is a lot considering Crouch became an England regular at Liverpool, and, bearing in mind the ridiculous inflation in transfer fees?

Besides, Liverpool do have a bad rep for buying high, and ending up not getting their moneys worth - regardless of the final sell on price.

I think £11m is a little over the top, but what i initially said was that £7m is a bargain. So my point was that Crouch should not have been an example for an overpriced transfer for Liverpool. And yes we have overpaid for players, but that was mainly in the Houllier era. Under Rafa, i feel most of his 'big' signings have been very good. One could argue Cisse was a total flop, but the transfer was already in place before Rafa came in.

[Chaos]

Originally Posted by istanbul05

I think £11m is a little over the top, but what i initially said was that £7m is a bargain. So my point was that Crouch should not have been an example for an overpriced transfer for Liverpool. And yes we have overpaid for players, but that was mainly in the Houllier era. Under Rafa, i feel most of his 'big' signings have been very good. One could argue Cisse was a total flop, but the transfer was already in place before Rafa came in.

Well I thought Liverpool had changed since Rafa was there. Torres in my opinion was one of the best buys an English club has made in a long time and Macsherano is a solid player too. I have also been impressed with Babel and think Kuyt is pretty solid. I'm just not sure on Barry. Where will he be played? He seems to switch between LB, LM and CM a lot but I don't know where he would go at Liverpool. I'd image he would be in midfield and I think there would be a lot better value for money elsewhere for a holding midfielder.

[istanbul05]

If we play our formation from last year i would imagine the top half of it would be:

-----------------Torres----------------
Babel---------Keane-----------Gerrard
-------Barry----------Mascherano------

I think one of Barry's main qualities is also his versatility, which Rafa loves to have Which is also why he wants Keane. The 3 behind Torres will all be able to change positions during the game. Barry would be able to play in a 4-4-2 comfortably, and his goals are maybe a key factor in Rafa's decision to go after him. Alonso only scored 2 or 3 goals i think last season, and 2 of them were against Derby. At a guess, Barry scored around 10 or more. The fact he is English has a lot to do with it, as it seems as though Rafa is finally ready for a challenge of the Premiership. Teams have learnt not to give Alonso time on the ball to pick his passes since his first season and he has really struggled. Doesn't surprise me at all that Rafa is hoping to sell him. However, if we don't sell Alonso i can't see us buying Barry. We could probably afford it, but it just wouldn't make sense.

[Steven]

Originally Posted by Chaosx

and think Kuyt is pretty solid.

Can run all day long, but Rafa has decided he is a midfielder rather than a striker as he cannot be trusted to score, but yet the lad has the knack of scoring in Champions League semi-finals consistently

As for Barry, I agree with istanbul05 above in the qualities he would bring but I would not be too overly fussed if he does not come. Mainly because of the money

[istanbul05]

I think Kuyt is a useful squad player. But i remember when we signed him, i thought we had our own Nistelrooy. He was prolific in Holland I think his problem is that he has never actually been played in a role for Liverpool where his only job is to score, and not bother with the so called 'dirty work'. When he was paired with Crouch the season before last, he was the one who always had to chase down defenders and come short. And last season he was just running up and down the right all night long.

[durera]

Originally Posted by istanbul05

I think Kuyt is a useful squad player. But i remember when we signed him, i thought we had our own Nistelrooy. He was prolific in Holland I think his problem is that he has never actually been played in a role for Liverpool where his only job is to score, and not bother with the so called 'dirty work'. When he was paired with Crouch the season before last, he was the one who always had to chase down defenders and come short. And last season he was just running up and down the right all night long.

Aye, it's Diouf all over again -- he was a out and out striker, African player of the year (twice, I think) when we signed him, -- we converted him into a winger who can't cross for fudge, and Kuyt's going the same way. I guess we should just be grateful Torres got a chance to play as a striker and didn't end up as the next in line to be stuck out on the wing.

[Wild Weasel]

Looks like Liverpool are about to complete the signing of Robbie Keane for £18m, so there's even less chance of signing Barry now.

[Miyazaki]

I think the chances are close to zero with Alonso staying, let alone paying £18m for a striker.

Barry has been offered 50% pay rise in a new 4 year deal, according to the BBC.

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by Wild Weasel

Looks like Liverpool are about to complete the signing of Robbie Keane for £18m, so there's even less chance of signing Barry now.

Keane's arrival has zero dependence on whether Barry signs or not, only Alonso's situation does.

I think Barry will leave within the next 12 months, whether that's to Liverpool or not depends on Alonso &/or any other club bidding for him. The next contract he signs is the most important one of his career, not sure he wants to give that signature to O'Neill anymore.

I'm not bothered if he cost £18million either - like Fergie did with Carrick - he wanted an exact player, no-one else & went out & got him - there probably wasn't a back-up plan. At least whatever happens if means Alonso is sold & pays for the vast majority of Barry's fee, or Alonso stays - which isn't the end of the world by any means.

Keane's signature is far more significant IMO.

[Guardo Bosque]

Liverpool appear to be more concerned about Spurs and Villa nicking 4th place, than they do about mounting a credible title challenge.

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by Guardo Bosque

Liverpool appear to be more concerned about Spurs and Villa nicking 4th place, than they do about mounting a credible title challenge.

[Guardo Bosque]

Originally Posted by DJT75

Brilliant response. Completely shot me down there, didn't you?!

[Steven]

Keane is an excellent signing for me. A proven Premiership striker

Now weary Finnan may stay (he's past it regardless) and Arbeloa wants to go home due to personal reasons...

[Chaos]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

Keane is an excellent signing for me. A proven Premiership striker

Now weary Finnan may stay (he's past it regardless) and Arbeloa wants to go home due to personal reasons...

I'd be happy with Keane if I was a Liverpool supporter. Makes it interesting at Spurs with Defoe, Keane and probably Berbatov all leaving and Bent being over priced and a flop. They will have some cash to splash on a decent striker though.

[istanbul05]

Originally Posted by Guardo Bosque

Liverpool appear to be more concerned about Spurs and Villa nicking 4th place, than they do about mounting a credible title challenge.

Please tell me you are joking....