First off, it's The Sun, but we do have quotes. Apparently there is 'interest from Aston Villa as well as Manchester City' but Carlo Cudicini would prefer to join Villa.

He may be getting on a bit, he'll be 35 in September, but he's still got something and there are not many keepers that would keep him out of the starting line up - unfortunately Chelsea's first choice is one of those few.

It's also worth remembering that one of the best keepers in the Premier League this season, David James, will be 38 before Cudicini is 34 and I know quite a few Aston Villa fans that would have happily had James for the last four years.

It's a rumour and as such it will not be thought about that much but it would be nice, wouldn't it?

Now, onto the rumour that I reckon is bang on; Gareth Barry joining Liverpool. The title of the story is Barry's a G-whizz for Stevie.

Now, the paper doesn't have any quotes, which really shouldn't surprise us and we really shouldn't expect to see any quotes from anyone connected with Liverpool Football Club talking to The Sun, but they've run with this for two days now and it seems it's going to be one of those stories that run and run.

Now, some don't want Barry to go but I think the majority accept that if we get enough money and maybe Crouch, there are players that can replace him and that in this day and age if a player decides to go there is very little you can do.

But none of that matters, we have faith in Martin O'Neill so there is no problem. If it happens, it's for the greater good, if it doesn't then it was only just a rumour. So, no reason to worry.

Comments (58)

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Milk said:

"But none of that matters, we have faith in Martin O'Neill so there is no problem. If it happens, it's for the greater good" Here Hear

April 17, 2008

Dex said:

As a Liverpool fan, I would like Barry but I would prefer Ashley Young (Can't we have both?). Crouch going in the other direction is a good idea, he has a great goal scoring record for us and I think the majority of Liverpool fans would like to see him stay but you can't blame the guy for wanting to move on, it's obvious that Rafa doesn't favour him and nobody could have done more to earn his place. Martin O'Neill is a great manager and has been doing an outstanding job at Villa, he was one of the only candidates I would have accepted when Rafas job was up for grabs, obviously I didn't want Rafa to go but O'Neill's arrival would have softened the blow. He has done wonders at Villa and the only thing he has sufferred from this season is too small a squad, with a bit more strength and cover in the right areas I expect to see you pushing past the bluenoses and fighting for that 5th spot. I tip Villa or Man City to be the first team to break in to the so called "Top Four", I like Villa and wish you guys luck with next seasons campaign (As long as we are not the team you are dislodging). Cya.

April 17, 2008

JR said:

I'd let you have Barry for 10m plus Alonso and Finnan, Dex. I wouldn't swap you Ashley Young for Fernando Torres.

April 17, 2008

JR said:

Dex, good luck in the CL. I'd much rather you guys win it than United or Chelsea!

April 17, 2008

mossiewalsh said:

carlo cudicini wud be great we are being linked wit jussi jusskalinen(spelling?) aswell and i think either of these two wud do a great job for villa. as for barry id only like to see him go if the deal was right. if utd paid £20m for carrick then i think we should expect at least that as barry is better than him. i thought £15m wud be ok but i changed my mind.£20m plus crouch or finnan.

April 17, 2008

Robinho said:

Barry for £20m and Crouch? So you reckon Barry is a £21m player? Seriously... what planet are you people on? Barry a £20m midfielder? He's worth 10 on a good day.

April 17, 2008

jaf said:

I think if Liverpool want Barry, Gerrard will be the key.. As for Crouch, i doubt very much he on MON's list we need a real goalscorer not someone who wastes more chances than he takes..!

April 17, 2008

Nicky said:

Football fans (myself included) amaze me. We love to believe all the rumours are true about players joining our clubs but God forbid any rumour of a player leaving could be true. I think myself because Villa are almost certainly not qualifying for UEFA so you'll be stuck with the same quality of player as last year. Granted Young, Davies have been good but for every Young there's a Knight and every Davies there's a Petrov. IMO Villa will make some additions to the squad and try to consolidate what they achieved this season and maybe have the squad next year to get UEFA. I cant see Barry leaving unless it's to play on Liverpools LW and to be fair to Barry his success over the last 2 years has been as a CM.

April 17, 2008

brett said:

carlo would be a great signing, he's out of form but MON will sort him out as for barry 12-15mil would be accepted, but would he go? and if fulham go down would we get steve davies back on the cheap? cudicini/jussi riise and nelson steve davies and van der vaart david villa ( ) id be well happy

April 17, 2008

aron_c said:

Damian clearly the majority of villa fans do not want barry to go. Look at the response to the docs article. Anyhow talk is cheap, do a poll? So we can put these stupid and constant Barry rumours to bed. Anyhow been looking forward to Guzan but if cudicini is free then more cash for outfield players. Robinho bet your were rubbing your greedy hands with glee when you heard Liverpool wanted 10 mill for carson and villa might pay it. So by your own obscure pricing system you probably couldn't afford barry!

April 17, 2008

peter archer said:

Sorry Jaf you've got it wrong. The guy who wates more chances than he takes is called Kuyt, not Crouch!

April 17, 2008

jobiemcd said:

If GB wants to go he will and there's not much any of us supporter's can do to stop him. But if he is going to go we need to get the right deal. If Liverpool value Carson @ 10million and he's effectively there 3rd choice keeper, then surely we could test just how much Liverpool want for him and ask for 25 Million if Gerrard is convinced his best football will come with Barry playing in a midfield with him then Liverpool should be willing to move heaven and earth to get there man. I personally dont want us to loose our captain and the man who I believe is the fulcrum of our team(just my opinion). But we'd need a quality replacement lined up and Id be looking for Player's plus cash. Being greedy we could ask for Crouch,Riise,Carson and 12Million. That should about cover it but if Alonso was included instead of even two of them I think that deal would be to hard for MON to turn down

April 17, 2008

Leroy said:

Jaaskilainen has to be our target. Cudicini isnt up to it in my opinion. Damian, im starting to come around with this Barry thing. I did some research and many people rate Reo as much as you do. Obviously ive seen the ability there, but he needs to rifine his game a little, control himself after he wins the ball or busts through on a run. I wont mention his "finishing". But as i think you have mentioned, we would definately have to sign a Van Der Vaart/Diego type as a replacement to make it a winning situation. Sidwell would not get it done.

April 17, 2008

villain said:

barry will stay and we'll sign van der vaart to play along side him next season. they'll get 20 goals between them (though 8 will be penalties) and we'll get into the champions league.

April 17, 2008

Imhotep said:

Take a look at his fellow England midfield companions - You wouldn't get Lampard for less than 20m, you wouldn't get Gerrard for less than 20m, Hargreaves was 17m, Carrick was 14m rising to 18m, what makes you think a player currently playing out of his skin, so vital to us and younger than Lampard and the same age as Hargreaves and Gerrard would barely fetch above 10m?

April 17, 2008

Chrisodon said:

Cudicini would be good if we got guzan also so he's got few years to learn the english game from a good keeper like Cudicini then become our number 1.

April 17, 2008

jinksy said:

Imhotep - Spot on Barry is in the England Team & so £20mil is the starting price. We need a partner for him not a replacement. Coker is a crap player & so instaead of being a selling club lets buy a partner for barry & get rid of the Joker Coker.

April 17, 2008

claretandbluevilla said:

I really upset that we're even considering selling barry. he has been outstanding for us all season and never puts a foot wrong. living near manchester the last game i got to see was the sunderland game. the only time we looked like scoring was when barry had the ball, every pass he makes is inch perfect. he can't go!

April 17, 2008

Jasper said:

If Gareth Barry wants to leave Aston Villa then I wish him well. It will not be the end of our world and Aston Villa will still be there long after all of us have gone.

April 17, 2008

Astonguerilla said:

It's no coincidence that the week before a very important derby clash unsubstaniated rumours are thrown at the press designed to unsettle our captain and perhaps even the whole squad. This gossip has probably been started by Small Heath!

April 17, 2008

Chrisodon said:

I'm just curious what has reo-coker done wrong that people see him as crap ?.

April 17, 2008

SuperSeanUK said:

Reo Coker? He can't pass to save his life, which is why a lot of people don't rate him. Personally, I think if he did develop his passing then he'd be ace, and obviously he's young so that will probably come. He's an excellent ball winner and a much needed vocal player, an engine room. His passing does suck though. I really hope this is just a rumour about Barry. To be honest, I can't see Rafa going for him because centre mid is the area where Liverpool are sorted, it's pacy width they need. Also, I don't think Rafa will have any transfer targets lined up for Liverpool because I don't think he'll be there for much logner.

April 17, 2008

Imhotep said:

His passing is poor but that far from makes him crap. O'Neill does say that he must improve at it though and that is a warning for him that he could lose his position if he doesn't improve that side of the game. He's still one of the best tackling midfielders in the premiership though, I think statistically he's only behind Mascherano and he's actually committed less fouls this season than Barry, which I hadn't realised until today. There's a lot to his game but there's a lot he could improve on too, I think it's a bit unfair to say he's crap though.

April 17, 2008

Ben.S said:

I can't believe people would be happy for us to sell Barry. He is a superb player and letting him go will show a lack of ambition. I want us to buy quality players, not sell them.

April 17, 2008

Villa4Ever said:

Rumours are, Liverpool will offer 12m but MON won't accept anything less than 25m... Or Crouch and Riise for Barry could be on the cards with Riccardo Montolivo replacing Barry. Seriously if we got Riccardo Montolivo then i wouldn't mind seeing Barry go, but we need to do player swaps no cash involved. If Barry is gone that's one less of an attraction to Villa, but i'm sure if we got Crouch AND Riise for Barry then i'm sure we will just have the same pulling factor. Also i'd rather Jussi Jaaskelainen in goal.

April 17, 2008

Kieran McGrath said:

sign guzan and cudicini then when cudicini retires guzan would have learned alot from him by then, keep barry and sign van der vaart and nelson. why build a young english team around a player (barry) and then decide to sell him i think this rumour is boolacks

April 17, 2008

Martin.H said:

I go with Ben.S we should be looking at bolstering our squad,not weakening it....yes?

April 17, 2008

Villain from Texas said:

I don't want to sell Barry. Damian, though you obviously disagree, Barry hasn't been our weak spot this season. We need someone to play opposite Young, we need a right back, and we need a permanent keeper. That much is clear. But I worry about tweaking the lineup too much, selling off a part as integral as Barry. He may not pose the greatest danger going forward, but he has the intangibles that one can't measure. Who can predict what'll happen without those intangibles?

April 17, 2008

Villa_Rules said:

I remember gerrard in a interview saying he and gareth are very very good mates so im in to minds now weather he will leave or not i did say the other day no chance but after remembering that interview with stevie g i think he might be on his way If Carlo leaves chelsea i would be very shocked because he seems to love earning his money from the bench which kind of tells you he is lazy and cant be botherd to play football I suppose aswell he will only cost 1-2 million which is why martin is after him anything over 5 million and martin o neill starts to panic Apart from the young deal when will we see martin o neill speand big money on a big player ?

April 17, 2008

Damian said:

Villain from Texas I'm not all for getting rid, but if Liverpool are interested and we could up the bid to £15mn. with Crouch, I along with quite a few others would do it. I also agree, he's not our weakest spot but he's playing for me anyway, in the most influential position on the pitch, and for me, that's why we need better. Also, you talk about not been able to predict how he's going to play and I agree - for too many times this season and last season if he's having a bad day/month the whole team seems to have a bad game - that's why having a consistent player is so important in that position. For me anyway, you suggesting that only confirms it more - he' snot the best going forward and in Reo-Coker we have one of the best defensive midfielders in the land - what exactly is Barry's job if it's not defensive, not so good going forward?? Is it a holding role? If it is then it confirms it even further we need someone else, because the one type of player I think we need is an attacking central midfielder who doesn't rely on just having a very good long pass. Sorry .. it's just my opinion and I know I'm in the minority but that minority is getting bigger.

April 17, 2008

Damian said:

aron_c not sure if you voted ... but the results are here

April 17, 2008

villafandan said:

where has that poll come from?!?!?

April 17, 2008

Damian said:

villafandan i opened it this morning. waited for 100 votes .. and stopped it

April 17, 2008

villafandan said:

lmao good one!!!

April 17, 2008

Zidave said:

For crying out loud does anyone bother to think about the fact that he gets injured every time he steps onto the pitch? No thanks.

April 17, 2008

Zidave said:

Crouch and Riiise? These are both at a level we are not looking for. Sorry, but i don't see them improving anything here, both will not have any better success.

April 17, 2008

I HATE BLUES said:

Barry is a good player but i feel we dont have the right balance when he is in the team.I would like to see crouch come in as player cash deal.With Barry gone it would allow NRC to play where he belongs, then we could use Petrov in the position we actually bought him for, that just leaves us to go out and get Bentley.@ Jaf how can you say you cant see Crouch on MON's list when he tried to buy him on deadline day ???

April 17, 2008

mick sorahan said:

So if they are mates and gerrard plays better with barry, let's put in a bid with randy's money for stevie g. perhaps this time he won't get frightened out of moving by the scouse mafia!

April 17, 2008

beano123 said:

Get cuddicini in for 3/4 years and taylor may even progress !!! What exactly is the crack with european places, intertoto and the fa cup, how does this affect european spots ?? help plz

April 17, 2008

Mick70 said:

According to http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com...&id=100725 Villa are also interested in the Dinamo Bucarest keeper Bogdan Lobont..

April 17, 2008

Mick70 said:

I'd bring Riise to Villa Park on my shoulders if it helped to convince him..I'm not sure what many see in Bouma aside from a solid, dependable full back. The attacking side of his game's not that good so..Bouma at the back and Riise just in front of the Dutchman with Young finally able to play on the right side of the midfield.

April 17, 2008

kohoutek said:

I'd say based on the prices of other England players, MON needs to ask for £20m. Villa will be in Europe next season, either via the league or Intertoto. That will be sorted, and then MON will have that on his side to help him decide whether to let Barry go, and who he might be able to get to replace him.

April 17, 2008

Sasa said:

Damien I can understand why you dont rate Barry highly, but to then want Crouch and say NRC is good doesnt weigh up. Crouch isn't better than Carew. NRC can be good if he learns to pass.

April 17, 2008

Leroy said:

Cmon Chelski! Feels weird to say it believe me.........Dont need to protect a lead like last week....

April 17, 2008

USvilla said:

fingers crossed(an everton loss) it's the 83rd right now and chelsea are up 1-0. keep the faith. we'll catch everton. to me, Gareth Barry is everything that AVFC stands for. I can't imagine him playing for another team. He's a great player and a great lad. If he wants to leave, however, we must look to sell him because he deserves the right to move on due to all he has given to the club. If he chooses to stay, he'll be an even bigger legend at the club!!!

April 17, 2008

jaf said:

Tried to buy Crouch on deadline day..?? Thats first ive heard of that.. God knows why so many people on here want him back, hes not good enough..!! Same goes for rise, great shooting but a terrible defender.

April 17, 2008

Villa_Rules said:

Aston Villa are believed to be keeping tabs on a trio of Fiorentina stars. The Birmingham Mail are reporting that Villa boss Martin O'Neill sent several scouts to Fiorentiona's UEFA Cup clash with PSV Eindhoven last week to take a look at midfielder Mario Santana and strikers Riccardo Montolivo and Giampaolo Pazzini. It is believed O'Neill is preparing for a busy summer in the transfer market as he aims to push Villa onto the next level next season Nice to be linked with some non english players videos of all 3 on youtube

April 17, 2008

brett said:

beano - if we finish above man city and blackburn then we are in the intertoto because no one else has applied if we catch everton (after tonight its def on)we can finish 5th to get uefa or 6th if pmopey win fa cup to get uefa

April 17, 2008

satch said:

I dont think selling our assets is the right way forward, I won't be happy if Barry is just sold because the money is right. We aren't in debt and we are pushing for the top four no less over the coming years. Why sell one of our best players who is the heart of the team and has provided so many intelligent link plays which have seen us score so many goals. Crouch is certainly not the answer or a good swap. I will be gutted if he leaves.

April 17, 2008

villain said:

villa_rules, where did you hear about those fiorentina players mate?

April 18, 2008

Living for the weekend said:

To sell the backbone of the team is never a good idea. Barry is the heart of the team and must stay.

April 18, 2008

Leroy said:

Villian, Try the express and star........

April 18, 2008

AK28 said:

The whole rumour is just a load of crap probably started by Barry's agent. MON was supposed to be sitting down with Barry soon anyway to discuss his new deal as he only has 2 yrs left on his current contract. Its a bit of a coincidence that this story turns up around the same time. Some "liverpool & Chelsea" interest would add more cash to Barry's weekly pay packet. As for Barry i feel that he is not a CM at all. He should be back on the Left wing either as LB or LW. Even if he did sign for liverpool this i where he would be playing not in the centre.

April 18, 2008

Mike S and Joey B said:

I like the idea of having cudicini but isn't he a little old? Gareth barry can't go! I think this because recently he has picked up form. Joey B's uncle went mad when Barry played rubbish! But now he's scoring goals without penalties, which now proves his worth!

April 18, 2008

gr8fulcelt said:

MON has had Big Eck's number for a long time - there's no comparison btw the two - MON is streets ahead tactically. 5th place is not beyond Villa the way they are playing - good luck!

April 21, 2008

Andy Lord said:

Peter Crouch? Again? His last spell at Villa was hardly someting to write home about. I think we can do better than that!

April 23, 2008 | url

Drunkalien said:

£10 mill for Barry plus Alonso... Use the spaniard as the holding midfielder and reo coker as the driving midfielder that he is plus make him captain.....

April 24, 2008

Az_ said:

Apparently if Barry goes O'Neil will bring in Sidwell from Chelsea as his replacement. In the same article he says that we must keep our top players, yet he is thinking about replacing Barry with a player half of his quality. I'd welcome Sidwell, he's a good upcoming player, but he's no Barry (yet).

April 24, 2008

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