NEWCASTLE UNITED manager Alan Pardew admits he will have to go abroad in order to buy another striker because of the inflated prices demanded for English players.

The Magpies’ need for a goalscorer was highlighted again on Saturday after they drew their second blank of the season in the stalemate with Aston Villa.

Pardew has already signed Emmanuel Riviere and Ayoze Perez, but there are concerns the club has not replaced Loic Remy with a player capable of notching 15 plus goals in a season.

Newcastle have been linked with strikers at home and abroad throughout the summer with Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Danny Ings and Ross McCormack all mentioned.

Pardew has expressed a desire to boost the number of British-born players in his squad, but having seen McCormack join Fulham for £12m and Blackburn quoting a similar fee for Jordan Rhodes, the Magpies boss admits he will have to turn his attentions elsewhere should Newcastle re-enter the transfer market.

Pardew also believes the inflated market is harming the international team, with Premier League clubs not prepared to spend big bucks on British players if they can go abroad and pay less.

“We keep talking about British players and English players being promoted, but every time you try to go and buy one in Britain, it is very difficult,” Pardew admitted

“They become part of the system and it’s such a shame. If we could get some realism around our own [English] strikers [in terms of price] then maybe they would get more opportunities.

“Roy [Hodgson] wants as many options as he can have. But if you’re looking out there for British strikers, there isn’t too many.

“But there are some good players in the background, particularly in the top five clubs, and it is a shame they can’t get their chance and a platform to play.”

It remains to be seen whether another striker comes in at St James’ Park with seven days to go before the transfer window shuts.

Newcastle should have claimed their first win of the season at Villa Park, but despite enjoying the bulk of possession and the better chances, they failed to find a breakthrough.

Pardew said: “I thought we deserved to win at Villa. I felt we controlled maybe 75 per cent of that game.”

The Magpies boss is now preparing his squad for tomorrow night’s Capital One Cup second round tie at Gillingham, and there will be changes to the side.

Rolando Aarons should start having been left out of the squad at Villa, while Perez, Mehdi Abeid, Massadio Haidara and Adam Campbell are likely to feature.

Pardew is mindful of getting a result against the League One side and no matter what team he fields, the manager believes his squad has more strength and depth than in other seasons.

He said: “I think we have much more depth to our team. The last two or three years in the Premier League we have lost key players like Remy and Yohan Cabaye, and the players who have come in just haven’t been able to carry the flag.

“That’s not to say that they are poor players, but we just needed a little bit more quality.

“I think we have more depth. Aarons and Adam Armstrong are coming through as well. We have some good young players. So I feel we are in a strong position.

“It is a shame we didn’t win at Villa, but I am still smiling and fairly confident about the team.”