Man City snap up Barry for £12m
Manchester City have completed the signing of England midfielder Gareth Barry from Aston Villa for £12m.
The 28-year-old was linked with a move to Liverpool last summer but ended up staying at Villa Park, helping them to a sixth-placed finish in the league.
Barry has spent his entire career at Villa, playing over 400 games for the Midlands outfit and scoring 52 goals.
He has won 29 caps for England and is in the squad for World Cup qualifiers on Saturday and next Wednesday.
City's owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group, are expected to embark on a spending spree this summer but the fact that Barry has joined Mark Hughes' side still comes as a surprise.
Barry claimed that his main reason for wanting to leave Villa in 2008 was to play Champions League football.
But City finished six places and 22 points behind this season's top four in the top flight, all of whom qualify for Europe's elite club competition.
City will not even contest the Uefa Europa League after Everton, Villa and Fulham took the three places available to English clubs.
"It's a surprise that Manchester City are the preferred suitors," said BBC Radio 5 Live's Pat Murphy.
"It is surely either money that is attracting Barry or the lure of putting down foundations whereby Manchester City become a serious player in the top four.
"But they will not be playing Champions League football next season, whereas Villa will at least be playing in the Europa League.
"Barry has been with Villa for over 10 years and I think when he goes he will do so with the best wishes of the Villa fans.
"But I think they will be baffled that, at the moment, he would seem to have chosen Manchester City over Liverpool or Arsenal - they would have understood if he went to a Champions League club."
Former Aston Villa manager Graham Taylor believes Barry has chosen City because they will challenge the top four next season.
"He has to believe that Manchester City will be signing the quality of player that will give them the best possibility of Champions League football the season after next," said Taylor.
"I'm not suggesting Mark Hughes is going to be absolutely crazy in the salaries the club pay people, but the amount of money has to be a factor."
Taylor believes Barry could be put off joining a Champions League club by the knowledge that might not be guaranteed a place in their starting XI.
"He'll be aware that there's nothing more important than playing first-team football in a World Cup year," added Taylor.
"At Aston Villa it's almost certain that he would be a first-team regular. I think he would be at Manchester City, but I'm not so certain that would be the case at Liverpool."
Villa owner Randy Lerner confirmed last week that the Midlands club were in discussions with Barry regarding a new long-term deal.
Barry, who has been at Villa Park since 1997, is currently preparing for England's World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra.
He has made 443 appearances for Villa since making his debut in 1997.
BBC SPORT
