Gareth Barry Contract Talks on Hold as Midfielder Considers His Options

Rarely has a player divided opinion like Gareth Barry.

Ask any City fan, and they love telling you about his value to the side: How he keeps possession with his neat, sensible passing, how he always seems to be in the right place at the right time to break up opposition attacks and how he carries out his manager’s instructions to the letter with his disciplined and tireless work rate.

Ask opposition fans, and the response is very different. To them, Barry is a slow, cumbersome liability.

In truth, it’s only when you watch Barry week in and week out that you realise his worth to a side. He’s the lubricant that oils City’s engine room; he's the vital component that makes everything else tick. Every time he doesn’t play, City fans are staggered by the void that’s left. There aren’t many City players whose absence is so keenly felt.

Filling your team with flair players is fine, but without players of Barry’s ilk—those who will keep things simple, yet effective and will tidy up and retain possession with the minimum of fuss—your team will not function to its maximum.

Players like Barry are worth their weight in gold.

However, it seems as though his time at City may be coming to an end after he admitted that no new contract talks are forthcoming. He has a year left on his current deal, but it’s difficult to see him staying beyond that. In fact, if an offer came in that guaranteed him first team football for the coming campaign, he would likely consider it.

He recently told the Sunday Mirror:

"

It’s just a case of wait and see, as far as a new contract is concerned.

I haven’t heard anything about a new deal from the club, so it looks as though my contract will run out next summer and I’ll have to take it from there.

The manager has spoken to me. He told me that he sees a place for me in his squad as he wants two quality players in every position.

I’ve got to admit that, with Yaya Toure, Javi Garcia and now Fernandinho in the squad, it’s going to be tough for anyone to nail down a position in central midfield. I’m a bit disappointed that there’s been no offer, but I haven’t got myself too down about it.

"

Tottenham and Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing him, and I’m sure there are a host of other Premier League sides who would want a player like Barry. His powers are waning as he enters the final stages of his career, but he has at least two more seasons in him at the very top.

At £12 million, he represents one of the best pound-for-pound signings since the ADUG takeover. Opposition fans often cite his poor performance against Germany for England at the 2010 World Cup or make fun of the fact that Rafa Benitez wanted him to replace the brilliant Xabi Alonso at Liverpool.

None of that matters to City fans.

They’ve seen a player give his all and play an important part in a successful period for the club. If he is to leave, Barry will always be remembered fondly at Manchester City.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2013-14 season. Follow him on Twitter here @TypicalCity