Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill will be looking abroad to strengthen the Black Cats squad but will ignore the Euro's, preferring to concentrate on a players league form. O'Neill has, wherever he has been, attempted to build teams around a strong British core, telling the Evening Chronicle: "If I was only going to buy British players, then I would not go abroad to watch football matches.
"People have always said I do my shopping late. However, I would prefer to have the players in early if it is possible, but sometimes you cannot do it.
"We could have an acquisition or two before the season starts, that is very important and certainly I would want them before the end of August."
However, he will resist the temptation to spend big on any of those who catch the eye at Euro 2012.
He added: "I did it once at Celtic and bought a lad called Joos Valgaeren who turned out to be brilliant for us.
"There are one or two exceptions to everything of course and you cannot take it as a guaranteed rule of success.
"However, on principle I would not do it because I have seen the players you get. I would rather concentrate on what their league form is.
"Some people can rise to the occasion in two or three matches where the pace of the game is totally different to the league."
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