Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill has revealed that he is prepared to set a deadline for Liverpool to meet the £18million valuation for England International Gareth Barry.

O’Neill has warned that he cannot go on being at the “behest” of the Reds over the protracted transfer of his 27-year-old captain and needs to know if Barry will be at Villa Park next season.

Anfield manager Rafa Benitez has already had four offers turned down by the Villans for his main target Barry, with the Liverpool boss also revealing that he needs to sell before he can bring fresh players in.

Villa are also considering playing Barry in their Inter-Toto Cup 2nd Leg tie with Odenske BK, which would not affect Barry playing for Liverpool in the Champions League should he move to Anfield.

“It’s been unfortunate. We don’t know where we stand at this minute,” O’Neill said.

“Liverpool have not officially come back to us in any form of writing. It is a really awkward position here at this minute.

“At some stage or other there will have to be a timescale on it because we cannot just keep going on like this.

“We have got our own plans to make - and we shouldn’t be at the behest of Liverpool Football Club.

“We have to pick up the pieces and I could go on for forever and a day talking about it. It doesn’t really matter. We have to see what develops.

“As I say, we have not heard back from them in an official capacity.”