This transfer saga is still running but I predict it will end with Barry joining Stevie G in the heart of the Liverpool midfield. Here is an interesting point on the negotiations from Phil M over at the BBC -- read the whole post it is worth it:

Benitez is not flavour of the month at Villa Park, and to understand why we might go back to words that came from his own mouth in early May when one of his players was attracting a little attention.

He said: "A £15m price tag for Crouch would not be unreasonable."

A price of £15m is apparently not unreasonable for a player he studiously ignored for much of last season and who is not a regular in the England side - according to Benitez logic.

The logic, however, looks twisted when set against his opening offer for a player who is now a fixture in Fabio Capello's England side and who was a regular for Villa last season, delivering a string of outstanding performances.