Hughes joy as City seal shock £12m Barry move

MANCHESTER CITY have completed a surprise £12 million transfer swoop for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry.

The 28-year-old England midfielder signed a five-year contract at Eastlands last night having completed a medical earlier yesterday.

Barry, a target for Liverpool last summer, leaves Villa after 12 years and more than 400 matches. The midfielder publicly stated he wanted to play in the Champions League and manager Martin O’Neill knew it would be difficult to keep the player if one of the top four came calling.