Liverpool have not ruled out the possibility of Gareth Barry making his Anfield debut later this week as one of the most prolonged transfers in Premier League history inches towards a conclusion.
Rafael Benitez had hoped to have secured the Aston Villa player’s signature in time to feature in the friendly against Valerenga in Norway. But the Liverpool manager is now planning to show off his latest signing against Lazio at Anfield on Friday, the club’s final friendly before facing Sunderland on Aug 16.
Much depends on whether Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Liverpool’s co-owners, can meet Villa’s asking price, but the indications emerging from Anfield suggested that the saga will be concluded very soon.
Villa value Barry at around £18 million, more than Liverpool were originally prepared to pay, but Hicks and Gillett are now understood to have agreed to underwrite the fee in what amounts to a short-term loan.
Steve Finnan, who has spent the last five years at Anfield, could move to the West Midlands as part of the transfer.
Another player set to depart is Sebastian Leto, the Argentine winger, after the 21-year-old was denied a work permit.
Leto played several games last season with an Italian passport, but Italian authorities have investigated the validity of the original decision, and his eligibility has been revoked.
Rafael Benitez had hoped to have secured the Aston Villa player’s signature in time to feature in the friendly against Valerenga in Norway. But the Liverpool manager is now planning to show off his latest signing against Lazio at Anfield on Friday, the club’s final friendly before facing Sunderland on Aug 16.
Much depends on whether Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Liverpool’s co-owners, can meet Villa’s asking price, but the indications emerging from Anfield suggested that the saga will be concluded very soon.
Villa value Barry at around £18 million, more than Liverpool were originally prepared to pay, but Hicks and Gillett are now understood to have agreed to underwrite the fee in what amounts to a short-term loan.
Steve Finnan, who has spent the last five years at Anfield, could move to the West Midlands as part of the transfer.
Another player set to depart is Sebastian Leto, the Argentine winger, after the 21-year-old was denied a work permit.
Leto played several games last season with an Italian passport, but Italian authorities have investigated the validity of the original decision, and his eligibility has been revoked.
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