Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill insists he and chairman Randy Lerner share the same agenda this summer [2014] ensuring skipper Gareth Barry remains their player next season.

The Villa boss has spoken to his American owner and to Barry himself and all the parties involved have agreed to discuss the England midfielder's future at greater length once the season is over and the mission of trying to secure European football is accomplished at West Ham on Sunday.

O'Neill is still smarting at Liverpool's underhand approach for his star man and has hinted that the cash-plus-unnamed-players offer from Anfield was, in effect, an insult.

He said: "I have spoken to Randy briefly and he is over for the West Ham game. Obviously, I'll get the opportunity to talk more once the game is over. He is here for a few days and that's the best opportunity and the best time for us to start work, once the season is over.

"I think it will be a general conversation about many issues to discuss: players to come in; obviously, there'll be one or two leaving whose contracts are up and obviously, the Barry situation has raised its head,

"I think he [Lerner] is of exactly the same opinion as myself. I spoke to him the other day and he wants to keep Gareth at the football club and try to improve the team rather than disassemble it.

"I think, in many aspects, Randy takes the positive side because, in effect, he said we shouldn't really be surprised that the best teams are after the best players.

"But his view is that's where we want to go, that was why he took the club over in the first place, to help restore the club and that's what he wants to do. Losing Gareth Barry was not really part of the plan a few months ago."

O'Neill received a fax from Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry last week and was furious its contents were leaked to the press before he had chance to discuss the bid.

He said: "We received something on the Thursday, but it hit the newspapers the next day before we even had a chance to get back to them.

"I think, in fairness, that was something that Liverpool themselves, I believe, will find a little bit embarrassing."

He admits Barry had a poor game after all the speculation surrounding his future affected him before Saturday's visit by Wigan, but believes the issue has been put to bed for now.

He said: "I shouldn't really be surprised that football clubs are interested in him but not being surprised at clubs being interested and us wanting to do something are two different issues. This is the whole point.

"We are attempting to get up there with those teams. Kevin Keegan, maybe in the last day or two, has given a realistic viewpoint of the league at the moment, but it's not something that we should stop aspiring to. These are the points we want to address.

"The whole idea is that in the not-too-distant future that Aston Villa are up alongside Liverpool.

"The interest in Gareth has not emanated from his comments about wanting to be selfish.

"His comments are only a contributory factor to the whole proceedings. The disappointing this is that this whole thing has been conducted in the press.

"This has been conducted outside the way that we would normally be conducting business. "Is he undervalued at £10million? Absolutely, without question. This lad is playing for England. I have to say the way the whole thing was mentioned it was hardly worthy of answering.

"It is like me asking Barcelona to let me have Lionel Messi for £20 million. What do you think they would say?"