Debate: Should Aston Villa sell Gareth Barry to Liverpool?

Reports have surfaced today that Liverpool have made a new and improved offer for Gareth Barry.

The Anfield club have allegedly tabled a £15m bid for the Aston Villa midfielder, with a further £2m-worth of add-ons (although it's worth noting that a club spokesman has since declined to comment on this).

This particular transfer saga has now been rumbling on for so long that even Cristiano Ronaldo must be reading the latest reports and wishing that everyone involved would stop dragging their feet.

And while it seems inevitable to everyone who isn't Martin O'Neil and Randy Lerner that Barry will be a Liverpool player nest season, both clubs still seem some way from agreeing a deal.

Indeed, while Martin O'Neil is said to be holding out for £18m, he will also try to convince Barry to stay when the Villa squad report for pre-season training tomorrow.

So how do you think this transfer story will play out?

Should Villa cut their losses and sell their captain for £15m

Are the Midlanders wasting their time trying to convince a want-away player to stay?

And what do you think of Liverpool's behaviour in all of this?

Join in the debate by leaving your comments over on our Football Spy blog .