Gareth Barry remains desperate to join Liverpool and has blasted Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill for making no effort to persuade him to stay.

The England midfielder has made no secret of his desire for the regular Champions League football on offer at Anfield.

Barry was quoted in a national Sunday newspaper as saying: “My mind’s made up, I want to join Liverpool.

“There’s no going back, it’s time for me to move on. I’m desperate to play Champions League football and that’s why I have to leave Villa.

“Villa kept saying they wanted me to stay but I have not heard from the manager for weeks,” he claimed.

“It’s seven weeks now since the season finished but while the gaffer’s found time to be a pundit for the BBC at Euro 2008, he hasn’t found the time to speak to me.”

“Have Villa offered me anything to try to persuade me my future is at Villa Park, not Anfield? Not a thing.”