O'Neill hits back at Baros claims

O'Neill would have taken Wright-Phillips on loan

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has denied claims from Milan Baros that Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips did not want to join the Midlands club.

Baros, who has moved to Lyon in a swap deal with John Carew, said that a switch to Chelsea collapsed because of the Blues midfielder.

"We made a bid for Shaun, but he saw his future at Chelsea - however, he did want to come on loan," said O'Neill.

"We would have sent Milan on loan, but the deal never materialised."

He added: "If Chelsea wanted to take him on a permanent deal then we would have listened."

606 DEBATE: Your reaction to Baros' departure

Baros, 25, had earlier said this week: "It was practically a finished thing with Chelsea. Everything broke down over the fact that Wright-Phillips did not want to go to Aston Villa.

"Martin O'Neill told me that without a replacement he would not let me go."

Baros also claimed that Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho had talked to him after the goalless Premiership game at Villa Park on 2 January.

"We just spoke about the match. Just after the game in the tunnel he told me that he wanted me to join the team and asked me if I was interested. I told him so. But it did not happen in the end," he added.