Villa's Barry left in the cold after O'Neill slur

GARETH BARRY will sit out the first day of pre-season training today still unsure where his future lies after Aston Villa rejected another bid from Liverpool.

The midlands club last night confirmed they had turned down a "renewed offer" for the England midfielder, although they insisted it was not the £17million one widely reported earlier in the day. Liverpool also denied they had made a £17m bid, and insisted it was "not their final offer".

But on a day when Villa boss Martin O'Neill fined club skipper Barry two weeks' wages and told him to stay away from training for his Sunday newspaper outburst attacking his manager's handling of the prospective deal, Liverpool were again told they had not matched Villa's valuation.

Liverpool had previously seen three bids rejected of £10m, £11m and then £13m, and the new offer was believed to be in the region of £15m. Villa want £18m.

Barry had raised the stakes this week by publicly attacking his manager and, as well as being fined, he was also told not to attend Villa's first day of pre-season training today.

Barry upset O'Neill by intimating the Villa boss was more interested in being a television pundit for the Euro 2008 finals than speaking to him over his future.