Mr Barry - The Final Offer!!

[Jez]

Interesting shift in opinion as last week it was 18mill and feck all else.

[Salsa Party Animal]

We are panicking due to right side problem against the Danish team. But I do hope Arsenal will win the bid.

[Redman]

Yes.

It's in everybody's best interests now.

If Villa insist Barry is worth £18m, Liverpool have the right to insist Finnan is worth £2m. In fact, I think that's pretty generous.

You can dispute it if you like but I reckon £16m + Finnan matches Villa's valuation or is at least close enough to stop pissing about and get the deal done.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Plus long battle will give a warning to others as well.

[claret+blue_watch]

No, £18 Million cash, or £17 Million+Finnan.No compromise with that filth.

[Gizmo]

See this is the thing that bothers me. Everyone is absolutely convinced that the asking price is £18 million when really we ain't got a clue. So if in reality the asking price is, say, £17 million and he goes for that, everyone's going to say we're weak or we caved in or Liverpool won because we lowered the price.

In the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter but I can just see the comments from the press, scousers - even Villa fans.

[Niall]

Yes. I'm sick of hearing about Barry. Finnan is a solid player. 16M + Finnan. Good bit of business.

[ianrobo1]

if the report is right the key is to thevalue of Finnan isn't it

2m for him seems fair to me, made the point got the cash we wanted and Liverplop can piss off

I did say 18m cash but this is so close as to make no real difference IF true

but if MON wants exactly what he wants then fine

however we shoul not sell to Arse for lower if that is true

otherwise no point to the whole sorry saga

[Super-Villan]

See this is the thing that bothers me. Everyone is absolutely convinced that the asking price is £18 million when really we ain't got a clue. So if in reality the asking price is, say, £17 million and he goes for that, everyone's going to say we're weak or we caved in or Liverpool won because we lowered the price.

In the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter but I can just see the comments from the press, scousers - even Villa fans.

Yep, that needed saying.

And whatever happens, both sides are going to claim they won to the other. Rafa and Gerrard will be pleased to get their man, the Liverpool fans will claim he's the best player ever, Villa will say they made Liverpool sweat to get to their asking price, and Villa fans will say he was overrated anyway and not worth much over £12m.

Whether all this is achieved for a million more or less either way will make little difference in the long run.

We've made our point. Sell now and concentrate on Saturday.

[JB]

Yes.

It's in everybody's best interests now.

If Villa insist Barry is worth £18m, Liverpool have the right to insist Finnan is worth £2m. In fact, I think that's pretty generous.

You can dispute it if you like but I reckon £16m + Finnan matches Villa's valuation or is at least close enough to stop pissing about and get the deal done.

Who's pissing about? It's not us. We've got our valuation and we're sticking to it. Liverpool knows the price. All they've had to do is pay it.

Finnan is a quality player, but his best days are behind him and he's knocking on a bit now so I'd say that he's worth £1.5m max.

[Redman]

if the report is right the key is to thevalue of Finnan isn't it

2m for him seems fair to me, made the point got the cash we wanted and Liverplop can piss off

I did say 18m cash but this is so close as to make no real difference IF true

but if MON wants exactly what he wants then fine

however we shoul not sell to Arse for lower if that is true

otherwise no point to the whole sorry saga

The other thing is that everybody needs to get perceived value from the deal.

£16m + Finnan allows Villa to say they got the full £18m and allows Liverpool to say they paid less than the full £18m cash.

[GaztonVilla]

IF our valuation is £18million, and we sell for £16million plus Finnan then, in theory, we have caved to the tune of £1million.

However, if Liverpool's valuation of Barry was £10million to start with and we secure a deal of £17 million then, in theory, Liverpool have caved to the tune of £7million.

To me, that's a very sound compromise on our part, but its based on the assumption that our valuation is £18million (an assumption which I believe is a bit too cut and dry to make). I say we should accept it, claim the moral high ground and move on.

I think the deal will be done this week, Finnan coming in with cash and Barry moving the other way. And I think the fee will remain "undisclosed".

The question which is running around my head now is, will Barry's ankle pass the medical?

[Nabby]

I'm not sure how much the price is an issue rather the how they pay it. I think they want to spread the payments and have add on's where as we want the cash now.

I have voted yes but I would rather take £16mil cash from Arsenal

[ahamaad]

The price has always been £18 million.

So £17 million plus Finnan.

Take it or leave it.

[ianrobo1]

well Gazton is right we will never now what MON's demands were and what the deal will be, just got a feeling like a lot of people this may sealed soon

[Thug]

We should say "This offer WILL be accepted IF Mr Barry makes a written transfer request"

Let's see how much he REALLY wants this move.

[TheTransferWindow]

I think £16 million plus Finnan would be a great deal for us. We say we have to make a stand and not get bullied on this deal, and don't you see that's exactly what MON has done? He has pissed off everyone involved with Liverpool and we are waiting for their 5th(!!!) bid! Barry is a good player and I'm sure he will do well for them but I don't think he's worth £18 million! You set your asking price high and MON did that and he has gotten Benitez to move far more on the price than he has.

[TRO]

....I'll trust in the Manager..... but hope it gets concluded soon.

[GaztonVilla]

Another thought occurs to me.

MON put a price tag of £18 million on Barrys head and said to Liverpool "thats what you need to offer".

5 bids later, and Liverpool are offering us £16 million plus a player who matches a position that we need to fill.

This is Liverpool's 5th bid, they've been scrambling down the back of the sofa for 2 months now trying to get enough together to get their target.

By now, the 5th bid, I think this is probably as high as Liverpool can afford to go. Their precarious financial situation in well documented. So, it could be said that MON has been effective in getting Liverpool to go as high as they can. Liverpool are said to be "in contact with Villa to ensure their bid won't be rejected". Smacks of desperation to me. MON has bled them dry. They can't go any higher after this, so mission accomplished.

[Redman]

Yes.

It's in everybody's best interests now.

If Villa insist Barry is worth £18m, Liverpool have the right to insist Finnan is worth £2m. In fact, I think that's pretty generous.

You can dispute it if you like but I reckon £16m + Finnan matches Villa's valuation or is at least close enough to stop pissing about and get the deal done.

Who's pissing about? It's not us. We've got our valuation and we're sticking to it. Liverpool knows the price. All they've had to do is pay it.

Finnan is a quality player, but his best days are behind him and he's knocking on a bit now so I'd say that he's worth £1.5m max.

It depends on your point-of-view who's pissing about.

If Barry wasn't so adamant about leaving, there would no reason why Villa couldn't hold out for the full £18m. But as it stands, it isn't in anybody's interests for him to stay so a compromise is the only solution.