KOP GIVE UP ON BARRY

LIVERPOOL are ready to abandon their hunt for Aston Villa midfield man Gareth Barry.

The Reds refuse to pay the £18million asking price and have now allocated £20m for Spurs striker Robbie Keane — as we exclusively revealed last week.

That leaves boss Rafa Benitez with just £5m left to spend. In a further blow to Barry, Benitez is being urged by his board to rethink plans to sell Xabi Alonso, which would be a major U-turn.

Lurch

The Spanish midfield ace had been told he was surplus to requirements and could talk to other clubs. But that was when Benitez was confident of signing Barry, 27. Joint owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett had backed Benitez in his bid for the England ace.

But the Yanks want further talks on the merits of keeping Alonso instead.

The former Real Sociedad man was valued at £25m, while Reds will not pay more than £15m for Barry.

Benitez still wants to resurrect the deal by selling Alonso but finds himself fighting a losing battle. He is out to raise funds by trying to flog Jermaine Pennant, Andriy Voronin and Yossi Benayoun. But even then he will be urged to sign a winger.

Barry has been left in the lurch — but will be boosted by the reception he got after coming on in the Intertoto clash with Odense BK yesterday.

Villa boss Martin O’Neill said: “I was delighted with the crowd and there was never any doubt that we all want him to stay.

“My own view would be for him to hang around for another year and see if we make the progress he wants. If we don’t, then everybody will wish him well.

“We haven’t heard back from Liverpool for a week now so maybe that tells a story.”

Meanwhile, Keane is set for his debut against Villarreal on Wednesday or Rangers next weekend. He will undergo a medical within 24 hours.