Foreign players currently offer English clubs better value for money than domestic footballers, Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood said yesterday.

Villa have signed nine players this summer, including six foreign nationals, and are reportedly close to adding Spain under-19 international Adama Traore to their ranks from Barcelona.

“If it (English talent) was better than the foreign talent, then we would have gone that route, but it’s not. The value for money is on the foreign market,” the 46-year-old Sherwood said at a news conference ahead of Villa’s Premier League clash with Manchester United tonight (20.45).

Aston Villa’s decision to buy foreign nationals was driven by more than just economics, the manager added.

“Some of these foreign boys we’ve gone for are better than the English ones. They have played a lot more games at a young age,” he said.

“You look at the English boys, they’ve played five games and cost a mountain ... (compared with) a guy who’s played 200 games in France’s Ligue 1.”

However, the manager also stressed the importance of the academy system and developing players.

“I think it’s the life blood of every team to have a good academy and bring in players through, and I think we’ve still got that at this club,” he said.

“But it’s going to take time. It doesn’t happen overnight.”

Sherwood expects a tough game against United today, but says his team will fancy their chances.

“I expect a tough game as you always do against Manchester United. They have brought in a lot of new players again. We fancy ourselves against them.

“Really, we fancy ourselves against any team. You have to have that mindset,” he said.