Martin O’Neill insists Liverpool didn’t renew their interest in Gareth Barry this summer.

Rafael Benitez was hell-bent on signing the Aston Villa midfielder last year, but the two clubs couldn’t agree on a fee with the Midlands side holding out for £17million.

Twelve months on and with Barry entering the final year of his contract, the England ace has signed for mega-rich Manchester City in a £12million transfer.

This has come as a shock considering how the player has revealed he wanted to play for Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, but O’Neill insists he never had that option.

"Did Liverpool take it for granted that Barry would sign for them?" said O'Neill. "They may well have done. And they missed out on Barry for that reason? They may well have done.

"All I will say is that I said to Barry's agent for us not to have the same debacle as last year, that they were perfectly at liberty to speak, I assumed to the top four teams.

“Liverpool were aware of the price we were asking if that was the case. Liverpool did not contact us directly at all in this matter and never offered any money for him.

“I said I was a bit surprised because Barry had mentioned playing in the Champions League as a reason for going, that's a person's prerogative, but Liverpool had not put a bid in.

“There was no offer forthcoming. Barry left, so that was the point. Why Barry wanted to leave was up to him, where he went to was a bit of a surprise. But that was it."