Aston Villa could offer West Bromwich Albion midfielder Gareth Barry another season in the Premier League if they get out the Championship.
Aston Villa have nine players in their current squad over the age of 30, including Glenn Whelan, Christopher Samba and 37-year-old John Terry.
Barry played over 400 games in claret and blue between 1997 and 2009 but has been tipped to return to where it all began. The Premier League’s all-time record appearance maker has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave West Brom if they are relegated.
And, should Villa earn promotion back to the Premier League, it is understood that they will offer Barry one more season at the top level.
But do Villa really need another expensive veteran on the books?
As one supporter points out, we all saw what happened to Queens Park Rangers when they attempted to build a solid Premier League side out of players who had proved themselves in the top flight but whose best years were behind them: see Shaun Wright-Phillips, Rio Ferdinand and Luke Young.
And it is not as if Barry has shone at West Brom this season either. Age appears to be catching up to him, so a return to Villa seems to be a move driven by the heart rather than the head.
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