O’Neill aims to secure Barry with top four finish

MARTIN O’NEILL is hoping Aston Villa can secure Champions League football this season — to help them in their quest to keep hold of midfielder Gareth Barry.

Barry yesterday pledged his future to the midlands club until the end of the season, when he will have one year of his current contract left to run. The England player was the subject of four failed bids from Liverpool in the summer after O’Neill placed an £18m €21m valuation on the 27-year-old.

Barry could buy out the final 12 months of his contract but O’Neill knows a top-four finish in the Barclays Premier League may persuade him to remain with the club he has already served for more than 10 years.