Barry fined as Villa snub new bid


Liverpool hope to pair Barry (left) in midfield with Steven Gerrard


Aston Villa have rejected Liverpool's latest bid for Gareth Barry who has been disciplined and ordered not to report for pre-season training.
Liverpool's new bid is about £15m but Villa say that "still falls short of our valuation and has been rejected".
Villa captain Barry 27 has been punished for giving an unauthorised interview to a newspaper in which he criticised boss Martin O'Neill.
O'Neill will let Barry join Liverpool - but only when his asking price is met.
Liverpool hope to finally resolve a protracted and increasingly acrimonious saga but O'Neill is furious at how the Anfield club's interest in Barry became public.
O'Neill has been firm in his stance on the proposed move saying: "If Liverpool meet our valuation he will have his express wish to leave Villa Park granted."
In the interview that led to his punishment Barry criticised Villa for not trying hard enough to keep him - even though O'Neill insists they want him to stay.
The player signalled his intention to move when he complained on Sunday about Villa's lack of urgency in speaking to him.



"There's no going back it's time for me to move on" he said.
"I'm desperate to play Champions League football and that's why I have to leave Villa.
"Villa kept saying they wanted me to stay but I have not heard from the manager for weeks.
"It's seven weeks now since the season finished but while the gaffer's found time to be a pundit at Euro 2008 he hasn't found the time to speak to me.
"Have Villa offered me anything to try to persuade me my future is at Villa Park not Anfield? Not a thing."
But O'Neill has hit back to vehemently deny Barry's claim.
"The chairman and I were surprised at Gareth's comments" he said.
"Contrary to what he said we desperately wanted to keep him - and he knows that."
Barry captained England for the first time and scored his first international goal during the recent friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.
Liverpool are keen to partner Barry in midfield with his England colleague Steven Gerrard.
Meanwhile Argentinian left-back Emiliano Insua has signed a new three-year contract with Liverpool. The 19-year-old Argentina Under-20 international has made five first team appearances for the club - featuring in the final three Premier League matches of last season. Insua initially joined Liverpool on loan from Boca Juniors in January 2007 but signed a permanent contract last summer.