Carrick - British rootsManchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes it is worth paying a little bit extra to bring in a player with British and Irish roots.
Ferguson has splashed out an initial £14million, which could rise to £18.6million, to bring Tyneside-born Michael Carrick to Old Trafford from Tottenham.
It is the fifth-highest transfer fee in the club's history but the United boss is adamant it will prove to be money well spent.
He said: "There is always a premium on Manchester United buying a player.
"I have experienced that since I came here.
"But we have always settled on what I felt what a sensible level of transfer fee.
"If you can get the right quality of home-based players, they understand the club and understand the loyalty factor of the club.
"We have had less problems with them (than the foreign players) over the years.
"We probably overpaid for Roy Keane and Gary Pallister but we were proved right in time and hopefully that will happen again with Michael.
"With Michael we are paying the money for a maturing player.
"He is 25, an England international who has been to the World Cup. He will get better and have some good years with us."
Chief executive David Gill insists that Carrick is "a great player for a great price".
He said: "We have always had a nucleus of UK players. That was another attraction to us about Michael.
"Top talent in England is difficult to obtain. That is one factor.
"UEFA are also changing the rules as well where there has to a quota of homegrown talent in your squad, so that is why we were keen to sign Michael."
As Carrick prepared to make his bow in the Amsterdam tournament this week, Gill re-iterated that funds remain available to bring in "one or two more players".
Gill added: "We have always taken a long-term view when we go into the transfer market."
Carrick claims he is not fazed at taking the number 16 shirt famously worn by Keane.
He said: "I am not daunted at wearing the 16 shirt.
"Roy is a legend in the game. He is one of the greats and I cannot stop people talking about him - but that is not what I am focusing on.
"I am my own man and focused on doing the things I am best at.
"I put more pressure on myself to perform than anyone else does.
"There is room for improvement in my game and know I can become a better player at United."
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo will stay at home when United compete in Holland.
Instead the Portugal winger will work on his fitness after only returning to training this week.
Like Ronaldo, Louis Saha and Mikael Silvestre are also staying behind for a similar reason.
Ferguson said: "They only returned to training on Monday so they won't go."
The trio could, however, return to action next Tuesday in a friendly at Oxford.
Gabriel Heinze and Nemanja Vidic will not feature in Amsterdam either as they are recovering from injuries.
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