Aston Villa fans can relax. Gareth Barry is staying put.
Aston Villa made it clear today that it has no plans to sell its captain, ending months of speculation about a potential move to Liverpool.
Barry looked like he might become a target for Arsenal, which still hasn’t found a replacement for Mathieu Flamini, but Aston Villa has stated its desire to keep Barry.
Tottenham set to announce Bentley signing
Just days after selling striker Robbie Keane to Liverpool, Tottenham is set to spend a good chunk of the $40.5 million sale of Keane to land Blackburn midfielder David Bentley. Tottenham is ready to spend about $25 million on Bentley, and in a twist that might upset Tottenham fans, $10 million of that money will apparently go to Arsenal, which holds a 40 percent sell-on clause after selling Bentley to Blackburn in 2006.
While it is a big signing, Bentley’s arrival does not address Tottenham’s need, which is replacing Keane as well as potentially Dimitar Berbatov.
Moyes squashes Ochoa to Everton rumor
If you were left a bit puzzled by recent reports that Everton was set to sign Mexican national team goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, you weren’t alone. Everton manager David Moyes but the rumor to rest, telling the Chicago Tribune’s Luis Arroyave that he had no intention if signing Ochoa.
The rumor didn’t make much sense at all. While Everton does need a back-up to U.S. national team goalkeeper Tim Howard, it wouldn’t have made much sense to sign a young talent like Ochoa, who is surely looking to sign somewhere to be a starter. Ochoa has a great future, and will wind up in Europe soon enough, but he wasn’t about to unseat Howard.
Everton is in Chicago tonight to take on the Chicago Fire.
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