O'Neill to set Barry deadline

Aston Villa are ready to set a deadline for Liverpool over the long running transfer saga of Gareth Barry.

O'Neill has said he has heard nothing for the Reds since he rejected a bid for the England midfielder earlier this month and is now preparing to set a deadline for the Merseyside club to meet Barry's valuation.

With Liverpool thought to be unable to afford to bring in Barry and Tottenham's Robbie Keane, Villa have urged the five time European Champions to clarify their position on Barry.

O'Neill is now considering using the 27-year-old in Saturday's home Intertoto Cup clash with Odense BK, but this move will mean that Barry is ineligible for the Champions League if he where to move to Anfield.

"It's been unfortunate. We don't know where we stand at this minute," said O'Neill.

"Liverpool have not officially come back to us in any form of writing. It is a really awkward position here at this minute.

"At some stage or other there will have to be a timescale on it because we cannot just keep going on like this.

"We have got our own plans to make - and we shouldn't be at the behest of Liverpool Football Club.

"We have to pick up the pieces and I could go on for forever and a day talking about it. It doesn't really matter. We have to see what develops.

"As I say, we have not heard back from them in an official capacity."