Aston Villa set to offer West Brom midfielder Gareth Barry a sensational return after nine years away
Steve Bruce could land Barry if Baggies are relegated and Villa are promoted
GARETH BARRY could be set for a sensational return to Aston Villa – but only if the club are promoted.
Steve Bruce's side have sealed a spot in the Championship play-offs and will face either Middlesbrough or Derby.
As revealed by SunSport, fellow West Brom midfielder Jake Livermore is also on Villa's radar as they plot to end their two-year absence from the Premier League.
report that Barry, 37, can leave Baggies if they are relegated and that the Claret and Blues are looking to bring him back to Villa Park.
Barry is trying to sell his £4.5million Cheshire mansion and it is claimed the former England midfielder wants to relocate for the Midlands.
Villa could also provide coaching opportunities for Barry, with Bruce willing to help senior players enhance their management prospects, as he's done with John Terry.
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Barry spent 12 years with Villa before leaving for Manchester City in 2009.
After completing a £12m deal, the Brighton academy graduate then penned an open letter to Villa fans explaining he needed a "new challenge" and had a "massive fear of going stale and falling into a comfort zone."
He spent four years at both Manchester City, where he won the title in 2012, and Everton, before joining Baggies at the start of this season.
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Nine years on from his Villa departure, Steve Bruce – who managed arch rivals Birmingham – may believe sufficient time has passed for fans to have got over a departure that angered so many.
Barry, who is the Premier League's all-time record appearance holder with 653 games, will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing a knee operation.
In February he was named as one of four players who stole a taxi in Barcelona while on a team-bonding trip.