Aston Villa may hold on to Gareth Barry after all

Martin O'Neill says Gareth Barry is in line for a shock Aston Villa recall today against Ob Odense and believes the England star may be getting disillusioned at Liverpool's botched pursuit of him.

Barry, 27, told O'Neill last week he wanted a move to Liverpool after returning to training following a two-week suspension and fine for criticising the Villa boss.

But Liverpool have not yet come back in with an expected fifth bid to meet Barry's £18million price tag - leaving the midfielder and Villa in limbo.

The lack of news from Anfield has infuriated O'Neill, who wants to finalise plans for his squad with the new Premier League season just three weeks away.

Liverpool are trying to juggle their resources to also sign Spurs' Robbie Keane by offloading fringe players like Andriy Voronin to raise cash.

And Barry is getting restless as he was led to believe he was Liverpool's transfer priority this summer.

O'Neill says Barry has now asked to play in today's Inter-Toto Cup second leg at home to OB Odense despite being jeered by fans in a friendly at Walsall on Tuesday.

"Things could be changing," admitted O'Neill, who has stripped Barry of the Villa captaincy. "If Liverpool are looking at other targets in other positions, which was not something which was mentioned before, then it might come as a bit of a shock to people.

"Never at any stage was it mentioned other players had to be sold.

"We are waiting for Liverpool - which is not the greatest situation to be in, waiting to hear what Liverpool are going to do about a player we pay.

"I'm the manager of the team who employs Gareth Barry and even I don't know whether he will be here at the start of the season and that is the way this whole business has been conducted."

O'Neill says Barry asked to play in the club's friendly at Walsall and now wants to feature today against Danish club Odense after being injured for the first leg, which Villa drew 2-2 a week ago.

"Gareth is a highly-talented footballer we are paying and we need to use," he added.

"Gareth concurs with that - he is ready and waiting and will want to try and play.

"Gareth Barry has been a splendid footballer here for 10 years and all the time I have known him he has been terrific.

"He had a sore foot in the last game against Odense and Gareth definitely didn't throw in a sore foot not to play."