Striker Baros completes Lyon move
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Baros cost Villa £6.5 million in August 2005
French champions Lyon have completed the signing of Czech Republic striker Milan Baros from Aston Villa.
Lyon Coach Gerard Houllier confirmed on Friday he had made an inquiry for the Czech Republic international. The 25-year-old, who played for Houllier at Liverpool, has one goal in 17 league appearances this season.
Baros was top scorer in Euro 2004 but has since struggled to rekindle that form - but Lyon are desperate for a striker as they battle with injuries.
There are also question marks over the future of John Carew, with the Norway international believed to have held talks with Werder Bremen regarding a move to Germany.
Baros was still at Anfield when he turned down a Lyon offer in 2005. Houllier said then he wouldn't bid again for the player but he has now reconsidered, saying: "Only idiots never change their minds."
And Houllier, who signed Baros to Liverpool in December 2001 said: "We need to recruit and I'm glad the club is now working in that direction."
Villa has lost a good player...
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Howler has something for Baros
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Young set to wrap up Villa switch
Watford striker Ashley Young is set to join Premiership rivals Aston Villa on Monday in a deal initially worth £8m.
The 21-year-old turned down a move to West Ham earlier this month and will now sign for Martin O'Neill's side. Add-ons could eventually take the fee above Villa's record of £9.5m but O'Neill said: "Is it a risk? Not to me. "He has got great touch and a wee bit of pace too, he can play on both flanks and alongside the centre-forward as well. I am very excited about it."
England Under-21 international Young sat out the Premiership match between Villa and the Hornets on Saturday. Young is expected to make his debut in Villa's Premiership clash with Newcastle at St James' Park on 31 January.
O'Neill added: "I think he has got enormous potential and I think he will fulfil that. "He is a really talented player. I have seen a lot of him and I am going to back my judgement. "My own view is he will prove terrific value. He is only a young fellow and I have no doubt at all he is good enough.
"I have been really impressed with him and his maturity. I have seen Watford loads of time this season. When they see me coming, they probably have been thinking 'oh, no, not again!'.
"You think along the lines of 'will somebody be of value over the next four or five years?' and you base your decision on that. I believe Ashley is capable of great things."
O'Neill also said he was not worried about splashing out so much money on such a young, unproven player. "I have always been pretty careful with money, primarily because the clubs I've been involved with have not really had that much," said the 54-year-old Villa manager.
"It will be the most money I've spent but at my age I've earned the right to do that. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson can spend and it's all right. "Am I supposed to stay down forever?"
O'Neill has been keen to boost his attacking options, with Juan Pablo Angel and Milan Baros out of form and Chris Sutton injured. Neither Angel or Baros found the net in Villa's 2-0 win over bottom-of-the-table Watford, with a Gavin Mahon own goal breaking the deadlock before Gabriel Agbonlahor slotted a second. -
Villa secure Carew in Baros swap
Aston Villa have swapped Milan Baros for Lyon striker John Carew, who has signed a three-and-a-half year deal. The Baros transfer was concluded earlier in the day before 27-year-old Norway international Carew agreed to a move in the opposite direction.
The former Valencia and Roma forward flew into Birmingham and sealed his move following a medical on Monday. Watford's Ashley Young is also expected to sign following his medical after the two clubs agreed a fee at the weekend.
Carew was believed to have held talks with Werder Bremen regarding a move to Germany. But the big target man, who had a spell in Turkey with Besiktas before moving to Lyon, has agreed to test himself in the Premiership under Martin O'Neill at Villa Park.
Meanwhile, Lyon coach Gerard Houllier made an inquiry for Czech Republic international Baros on Friday. The 25-year-old, who played for Houllier at Liverpool, has one goal in 17 league appearances this season.
Baros has scored 26 goals in 46 appearances for the Czech national team. He was top scorer in Euro 2004 but has since struggled to rekindle that form. However, Houllier said: "I know that he is a very strong player, a hard worker, who will blend into the team."
Baros joined Villa on a four-year contract in August 2005 after dropping to fourth choice behind strikers Djibril Cisse, Fernando Morientes and Peter Crouch at Liverpool.
He could make his Lyon debut in a French League match against Bordeaux on Wednesday. -
back to houllier
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Houllier was the one that signed him for Pool?
Was he also the one that sold him? -
baros wont be their main man. he is too selfish at times and wad happen to fred?
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carew i believe will prove to be better than baros.
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not a good piece of business....straight swap...we should've gotten some money from this with a number of clubs interested in baros...
as for whether this is a good signing remains to be seen but i quite like carew and i hope we could get carew when earlier on in the season the 4-3-3 formation which angel played so well in but lacks some pace, carew can be like angel and provide more pace....
still disappointed to see baros go......
always tot he'll be able to prove himself -
Good move, I should sae. Then add Young = WOW.Originally posted by dragg:carew i believe will prove to be better than baros.
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oneil is using the same style of play when he was at celtic.now he is using carew as the old hartson