BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill’s quest to bring in the players he feels capable of bolstering his squad and its European aspirations for next season is about to bear fruit with speculation that he has made bid for a number of high-profile players.

With the Gareth Barry saga continuing to drag on while Villa wait to see if Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez comes back in with yet another improved bid, O’Neill is believed to have made offers for at least two high profile players in Blackburn’s want-away midfielder David Bentley and Chelsea misfit Steve Sidwell.

England star Bentley, aged 23, made his views known last month that he wanted to leave Ewood Park after notching his sixth cap for his country.

That alerted a string of top clubs and, while Bentley himself is thought to favour a move to Villa’s big foe, Liverpool, Villa fans believe if anyone can persuade a player to consider a move it is O’Neill who may yet entice Bentley to join his throng of rising young Englanders.

Villa certainly have the funds available to prise the midfielder – rated at around £15 million – away from managerless Blackburn while Liverpool boss Benitez is still relying on the sale of Xabi Alonbso and John Arne Riise to raise funds although on Tuesday, the left-back’s looked certain to make the move to Roma.

Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton are also keen on Bentley while his former boss Mark Hughes wants him at his new club, Manchester City.

Chelsea’s Steve Sidwell has long been linked with a move to Villa and could soften the blow of losing Gareth Barry should the Villa skipper finally move to Anfield.

Sidwell, who has had a miserable season at Stamford Bridge with appearances limited since his big move from Reading, is thought to have been slapped with a £6?million price tag by Chelsea and is also attracting interest from Everton and Middlesbrough.

But he stated recently that he wanted to speak to Avram Grant’s replacement at Chelsea before agreeing to move on and although Luis Fillipe Scolari has now been given the job of managing the Blues, he is currently still tied up in his duties as Portugal’s national coach at the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland.

It is understood the player wants to see if there is still a chance for him at Chelsea under a different regime before resigning himself to a move and a pay cut.

O’Neill has so far been linked with almost 100 players and is still under pressure to find new blood for key positions including a right-back and a goalkeeper.

It is thought the Northern Irishman has expressed interest in Wolverhampton Wanderer’s keeper Wayne Hennessey but has been warned off by Wolves. He may instead buy a more experienced keeper to look after the job for a season before making a renewed bid for Hennessey next year and that has sparked rumours of interest in Arsenal keeper Jans Lehman and Rovers’ Brad Friedel.

Meanwhile the Villa boss is relishing the onset of this coming season’s European campaign. Villa enter the Intertoto Cup in the third round and O’Neill believes the experience can only benefit his young side.

He said: “If we can get through the Intertoto and into the Uefa Cup it could be a great experience for our players.
“I think Everton would say they’re much better equipped for Europe next season as a result of their terrific run this year and the experience gained from that.

“I saw that at Celtic with a number of players. Stiliyan Petrov was only a young player when we had the Uefa Cup run through to the final in 2003 and he grew in stature as the competition went on.

“Hopefully we can see the same with our young players. The likes of Gabby Agbonlahor and Ashley Young can only benefit for that experience as they continue to develop as players.”