Express & Star: Martin O'Neill admits Gareth Barry has never been in a better position to leave Villa - but he's determined to persuade him to stay. The Villa boss is set to meet the captain and his advisors in the summer to talk about a new contract with his deal having two years left. O'Neill admits that at 27 and having become an England regular with almost 400 senior appearances behind him in 10 years, his skipper is in an extremely attractive marketing position after he was linked with Chelsea and Liverpool. "He got into the England squad, then he got into the England team and he's there on merit and he's in a really fine position," said O'Neill. "What you don't want to do is take anything for granted regarding what people are saying or thinking. "All I'd do as manager of the football club is sit down with the chairman and we're going to try to do our best to keep the players."

Express & Star: Martin O'Neill today hinted he is prepared to rip up Villa's wage structure to keep Gareth Barry. Captain Barry is being linked to moves to Chelsea and Liverpool and could double his estimated £42,000 a week wages at Villa by moving. The England international dropped a bombshell last week with his 'medals before money' speech and O'Neill is desperate to keep the 27-year-old. Now boss O'Neill has suggested plans to keep Barry by moving him into another bracket - possibly £60,000-£70,000 a week - to re-negotiate his contract, which has two years left. "If someone is worth something here and he's doing so well, to reward him by either putting him above or alongside his peers because that's where we stand at the time, I haven't got a problem," said O'Neill. "I would set out the same principle at every football club. That's how we did it at Celtic and Leicester.

Birmingham Mail: Martin O'Neill could sweep aside Villa's wage structure in a bid to keep Gareth Barry. Barry is the club's top wage earner at £42,000 a week and could double that with a summer switch to Liverpool or Chelsea. Villa could not match that hike but O'Neill says he would not be deterred from offering his influential skipper a sum that would effectively dwarf that of the club's other high earners as a sweetener to stay. "We're in the business of professional football, trying to achieve as much as we possibly can knowing your competitors are putting high stakes on things," he said. "I would set out the same principle at every football club. "If players are doing really well and are deserving of new contracts or renegotiated deals, I have not got a problem. "It's all about merit and I will treat each case on its merits. I have to be aware of outside forces but within this club that's not a problem to me. That's how we did it at Celtic and Leicester."

Birmingham Mail: Wilfred Bouma could be close to a new long-term contract at Villa by the end of the week. Martin O'Neill is set for talks with the Dutch international defender's agent as he sets about trying to secure his future. Villa have until the end of the month to register whether they want to take up a one-year option. But O'Neill wants to offer what is likely to be a three-year deal. O'Neill said: "I have spoken to his agent last week and I was hoping to get out and meet him this week.