Liverpool Target Signs For City

Manchester City have confirmed the £12 million capture of Gareth Barry from Aston Villa on a five-year contract.

In one of the swiftest deals of recent times, City opened talks early on Tuesday morning, before ushering Barry though a medical in the early evening.

City and Villa then settled on a £12 million fee, allowing Mark Hughes to nail down the England international to a five-year deal.

“Gareth Barry will be wearing a sky blue shirt next season after Mark Hughes today clinched a £12million move from Aston Villa to the City of Manchester Stadium for the highly-rated England midfielder,” read a statement on the official City website.

“With Player of the Year Stevie Ireland having committed himself to a further five years at City, Barry's arrival at the club after signing a five-year contract means Hughes will have one of the Premier League's most formidable midfield rosters.”