Last updated: 7th May 2008
Barry: In-demand
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has admitted keeping Gareth Barry will be his top priority this summer.
Liverpool are leading the race for Villa captain Barry and have made a bid for the England international.
O'Neill rejected Liverpool's offer and he remains determined to keep the 27-year-old at the club as he plans to build his side around Barry.
"Obviously trying to keep Gareth Barry at the football club will be the most important thing that we're trying to do in the summertime," O'Neill told the club's official website.
"A player of Gareth's undoubted quality and ability would take some replacing, so keeping him at Aston Villa is as important as anything we do in the transfer market."
O'Neill admits the club need to bring in reinforcements if they are to continue to progress significantly.
"I want to really keep the progress going. We want to try and step forward again and we're looking to add that extra quality to the quality that we have. We definitely need more," added O'Neill.
"That gets harder as you go along because you're trying to add to a better side. But we're trying to progress and we have got to do it, otherwise we wouldn't just stand still, we would probably regress.
"There's no standing still in Premier League football because there's always someone looking over your shoulder.
"Look at the sides next season that have got this driving ambition. Tottenham Hotspur have just spent £16-18million on a young kid who has never sampled the Premier League! He looks a really good player.
"So they're showing their intentions. Newcastle will want to compete and Sunderland are averaging 43,000 gates. So it's going to be even tougher next year.
"Being back in the Premier League and having had two seasons to look at it, I believe that for us now to compete we have to add to what we've got."
Meanwhile, Stilian Petrov has promised Villa fans they will see the best of him next season.
Petrov has shone in recent weeks after reverting from an attacking midfielder to a more defensive role and the Bulgarian international is already looking forward to next season.
"I spoke with Nigel Reo-Coker and said I could play for another 15 years in that role because you don't move much," noted Petrov.
"I've been playing this position for all my international career, so it's not
new to me, and it's good for me that things are going well.
"The last two or three weeks have been great - apart, of course, from the defeat against Wigan. But, when I wasn't playing and the manager left me out of the squad, I didn't give up.
"I'm a positive guy and I always look at myself. I don't blame anybody else.
I'm the only one that can push myself forward and make things right.
"I got my chance again, the manager moved me into the middle and I started playing well again.
"You can ask everybody at the club but I've been coming here every morning happy, laughing and joking even when I wasn't playing.
"I hope the Villa fans will see more from me and I'm hoping it will be a massive season next year."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 26th July | |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | |
| 17:15 | Aston Villa vs Odense BK |
| Saturday 2nd August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| 15:00 | Reading vs Aston Villa |
| Saturday 16th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Man City |
| Saturday 23rd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs Aston Villa |
| Sunday 31st August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 16:00 | Aston Villa vs Liverpool |
| Monday 15th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Tottenham vs Aston Villa |
| Sunday 21st September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:00 | West Brom vs Aston Villa |
| Saturday 27th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 4th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Aston Villa |
| Saturday 18th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Portsmouth |
| Saturday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Aston Villa |
| Wednesday 29th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Aston Villa vs Blackburn |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 11th May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 2 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 3rd May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 2 Wigan | |
| Sunday 27th April | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Everton 2 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 20th April | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 5 - 1 Birmingham | |
| Saturday 12th April | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Derby 0 - 6 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 5th April | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 4 - 0 Bolton | |
| Saturday 29th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 4 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 22nd March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 15th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Portsmouth 2 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Wednesday 12th March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 1 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Saturday 1st March | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Arsenal 1 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Sunday 24th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Reading 1 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 9th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 4 - 1 Newcastle | |
| Sunday 3rd February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Fulham 2 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 26th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 1 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Monday 21st January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Liverpool 2 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 12th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 3 - 1 Reading | |
| Saturday 5th January | |
| The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 2 Man Utd | |
| Tuesday 1st January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 1 Tottenham | |
| Saturday 29th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wigan 1 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 0 | 0 |
Martin O'Neill is contemplating using wantaway midfielder Gareth Barry in the Intertoto Cup.
Blackburn have accepted an offer of £2million from Aston Villa for goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
Gareth Barry was booed by Aston Villa supporters as he started his side's 3-2 win at Walsall.
Harry Redknapp fears Aston Villa could beat him to the signing of Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul.
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has dismissed reports linking the club with a move for Valencia striker Nikola Zigic.