Barry set to stay at Villa

Liverpool are reported to have pulled the plug on the Gareth Barry deal as Martin O'Neill has urged the player to stay.

Liverpool have been chasing Barry all summer but now reports claim they are refusing to pay £18million for him and will instead stick with Xabi Alonso, who is wanted by Juventus.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez will keep Alonso on board and use the money he would have spent on Barry to wrap up a deal for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane.

Meanwhile, O'Neill says that Barry would be best off staying at Villa Park as Liverpool obviously don't value him as much as they do.

"Having not heard anything from Liverpool for some time it is clear we value him more than they do," said O'Neill. "The fact they have not answered us for a week sends out a real message.

"We obviously don't want him to go, so the price we are asking is a fair and realistic one for a player who is so good. In fact I think it is really cheap.

"My own view is that he should hang around for another year and see if we can make further progress as he would want. Gareth is still only 28 next year - if we don't get where he wants to go, everybody would wish him well."