Aston Villa FC

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• Founded:1874
• Manager:Gerard Houllier

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O'Neill vows to be prudent

20 Jul 2007 - 12:58:44

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Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has admitted he is struggling to find value for money in the transfer market, but has vowed to spend chairman Randy Lerner's money wisely.

O'Neill has spent an estimated £11.5million on the captures of former West Ham pair Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood this summer.

But rather than pay over the odds for more of his transfer targets, the Villa Park chief has promised to be prudent as he looks to put a squad together that is capable of finishing in the European places this season.

"In this day and age you have to be very careful because things are escalating at such a rate," he told the club's official website.

"Trying to find value for money is exceptionally difficult but we'll try to do it.

"I have dismissed absolutely nothing, but I'm going to try to build a squad capable of competing - not someone who might come in for two games and be an 'impact' signing and not really be value for money.

"You see the escalation in prices and someone who you thought you'd be able to get for 'x' is now 'x plus y'.

"Part of you questions it and part of you thinks do you go along with it because other teams are strengthening their sides.

"I am going to do that - the owner has given me the responsibility for want of a better word to do it and this is what I'm looking at.

"I'm surveying all options and I'll see what develops."