Aston Villa have rejected a renewed bid from Liverpool for Gareth Barry. The bid is believed to be a slightly improved offer of around £15 million but Villa seem intent to hold out for an £18 million [source].

That could well prove a stumbling block for Rafa but in my view, Barry’s move to Anfield is looking depressingly inevitable. Barry would undoubtedly be a superb signing for Liverpool and has had an exceptional season under O’Neil but personally I find it depressing that the likes of Barry, Santa Cruz and Bentley could all be plucked from their clubs by the “big four” this summer – thus widening the gap.

From a fantasy perspective it would also be bad news. Barry’s price would increased markedly and while he could well benefit from feeding a prolific Torres at Anfield, it’s unlikely he’ll be adopted as spot-kick taker and he could even face a fight for set-pieces. That could certainly have a major influence on his returns. Rotation would also be a concern and that’s something we’ve never had to worry about with Barry at Villa. In a nutshell then, a move to Liverpool would likely see Barry drop several places on many pre-season shortlists.