O'Neill fury at Barry claims

Villa remain keen to keep captain

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 15th May 2008

martin oneill aston villa

O'Neill: Not happy

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Martin O'Neill has refuted suggestions that he is prepared to let Gareth Barry join Liverpool.

The Aston Villa boss has reiterated his determination to hang on to his skipper and has recently held discussions with the England midfielder regarding his future.

Barry has been strongly linked with a move to Anfield over the last few weeks, with Rafa Benitez already putting a one player-plus-cash bid on the table.

It had been reported on Wednesday that O'Neill would be prepared to let the England international leave if the price was right, but the Irishman has reacted angrily to those claims.

Displeasure

"I have not said anything of the sort. To suggest I would be happy to sell Gareth is simply not true," he told Villa's official website.

"I did say that no club would want to keep an unhappy player but at no time has Gareth expressed any displeasure about his time at Villa.

"We are doing everything we can.

"We are determined to keep Gareth at Villa Park. To say that I am resigned to losing him is simply not the case."