Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed critics of the club's international youth policy.

"It's just the way it is for our club at the moment," Ferguson said. "I don't think it's an actual trend in terms of developing or recruiting young players. Gibson and Evans have been with us since 12 years of age, so we regard them as local boys. Welbeck is a Manchester boy.

The two Da Silvas and Possebon are Brazilian and we're concentrating on some areas of the world very strongly, which has allowed us to get the three boys from Brazil. But it's down to the scouting. If we see a player we think is going to have the quality we need, we have to assess it that way. It doesn't matter where he's from - even if he's English."