Splashing the cash for Barry

Money really does talk when it comes to football.

Manchester City have become the latest high-fliers, splashing out 12 million pounds on Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry. The 28-year-old has reportedly signed a five year deal which will bring him in around 80,000 pounds a week. Not a bad pay cheque which obviously had to be a huge attraction for Barry.

Villa fans are obviously bitterly disappointed that he will not be part of their campaign next season and are blaming cash as the incentive. Aston Villa are going great guns, having finished a very creditable fifth under Martin O’Neill to Arsenal and very nearly pipping them for fourth place. But a place in the Europa League and the prospect of challenging the big four in the Premiership – Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal – obviously wasn’t enough to keep Barry at Villa Park, if indeed he had any choice in the matter.

Manchester City supporters are, of course, thrilled and they believe they are the team to watch next season. Other big signings are expected as Mark Hughes bids to strengthen his squad now money appears to be little object. He has praised Barry’s flexibility in being able to play according to tactics and believes his experience and determination will count for everything. Barry is certainly one of the best midfielders in the country today. He played more than 400 games for Villa, scoring 52 goals and has won 29 caps for England, a number which arguably should already have been substantially more. Capello might well be putting that right in due course.

Barry says he feels real potential with Manchester City, said to have been the only club to put forward a bid. Liverpool obviously took the huff following last year’s debacle when protracted negotiations to buy Barry failed. The price tag of 18 million pounds was considered just too high. Liverpool won’t be wasting any time crying over spilled milk, that’s for sure.

Barry had been offered a lucrative deal to stay on at Villa after his contract ended next season but at least his departure should open the way for new arrivals and Liverppol have their sights set elsewhere too. Manchester City finished the season tenth but only 12 points behind Aston Villa, not a huge margin and one Barry will obviously be helping to bridge. Let’s see if money really can build a team. It worked originally for Chelsea and if Manchester City can splash the cash, why not go for it.

In any event, Barry’s signing fee pales into insignificance with all the talk about where Kaka is going to land up – Chelsea or Real Madrid. Real are said to be negotiating a deal which would cost them a staggering 65 million euros though AC Milan have denied the reports and both the club and Kaka say he is staying put. Now that really would be a huge purchase on your credit card bill!