O'Neill's ready to splash the cash

Aug 6 2007 By Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

MARTIN O'Neill has resolved to do something that goes against his grain - paying over the odds for players.

At a time when he is preparing a bid for Albion's Curtis Davies, O'Neill says he will only bring in hungry, young players like Ashley Young, who he signed for £9.5million.

Now O'Neill is closing in on a number of other targets who he hopes will make just as big an impact.

"I have got time, not that much time, but enough time to address what we have been trying to do all summer," he said. "Some things have gone beyond the pale in terms of fees. So it is me addressing things now.

"I'm not breaking a trend because at some stage I know I will have to do something against my grain. But in this day and age I don't know what outlandish money is.

"Everybody said in January about the fee of Ashley Young, but if you put him on the market tomorrow morning, I think you would make a healthy profit."