Wage demand shocks Villa

Villa have been quoted wage demands of £80,000 a week if they want to sign Peter Crouch.

That's how much sources say Portsmouth are willing to offer the Liverpool striker to return south.

Villa would consider Crouch in a deal to take him back to Villa Park - but not at the expense of losing Liverpool target Gareth Barry.

The wage demands Villa are encountering - plus the huge incentives likely to be needed to persuade Barry to stay - have left boss Martin O'Neill and chairman Randy Lerner considering smashing the wage structure to compete for top players.

Barry is currently Villa's top earner on around £42,000 a week.

It's understood Jermain Defoe rejected the chance to join Villa because of pay, while it's believed Lassina Diarra joined Portsmouth only after demanding £90,000 a week at Villa to improve on an £85,000 a week offer at Newcastle.

"In terms of our development, Patrik Berger mentioned there had been fantastic improvement at the football club and that's what we want to continue," said O'Neill.

"We're going to try to address all these situations in the summer but Newcastle's wage bill would be twice ours - as well as the West Hams and Tottenhams.

"So we're going to have to review the whole picture in the summer and Gareth is really top of the list."

O'Neill remains desperate to keep Barry and has spoken to Lerner about offering Barry a huge increase to stay. And the Villa boss believes Liverpool's £10m offer is nowhere near enough .

"Look, we don't want to sell and we're not inviting offers, but this lad is playing for England," he said.

"It seems people are taking the view that what Liverpool want they will get, but I don't see that being the case. From what's gone on, we're a million miles away. Hypothetically speaking, it would be like me offering £20m for Lionel Messi. Barcelona would say: 'So what?'

"This £10m offer was some cash and some un-named players, but it's very presumptious the players people (media) have been talking about."

"Losing Gareth isn't part of our plan. Randy Lerner wants to restore the club to its former glories.

"We're attempting to get up there with these top teams ."