O'Neill makes Barry vow

Villa chief determined to ward off Liverpool

Last updated: 7th May 2008

Gareth Barry celeb Derby v Aston Villa

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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.

Important

"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."

Promise

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."