Manchester City recruit Gareth Barry has revealed one of the major reasons for his move from Aston Villa.

The star midfielder says that with the spotlight securely on the Eastlands club this season, there will be more opportunity for him to secure his place in Fabio Capello's England squad.

"There will be a lot of spotlight on us and the players we have," he said.

"Hopefully we can challenge the top four that have dominated for so long. I'm at a club creating a lot of headlines and it's very exciting. We just want a competitive game now and to start the season well.

"When you spend 12 years at a club it's always a big decision to leave, but hopefully my decision can be backed up by the way we play this year.

"The World Cup was in the back of my mind and I'm confident I can play a big part for Man City and go into the World Cup having hopefully qualified with a lot of confidence."