Young trialist Andy Bell could put pen to paper as a permanent addition to the York City squad next week.

The 20-year-old Wycombe Wanderers talent has scored three times this season in Division Two - all before new boss Tony Adams took over - and has been signed on a month-to-month basis since then.

The former Blackburn and England Under-15 international striker is currently training with the City first team in a bid to make a good-enough impression to secure a permanent move to Bootham Crescent - and has already made a big impact on player-boss Chris Brass.

Brass said: "He is a free agent as from Monday. Wycombe are getting a few new players in and shaking things up and they are willing to let him come to us.

"He's similar to Darren Dunning in a lot of ways. He's come through the youth ranks at Blackburn Rovers and he now just needs somebody to bring him through.

"He's impressed me in training and is a youngster who has big things expected from him.

"It would have been nice to watch him in the reserves but he's been good in training and fingers crossed we will be able to sort something out.

"It's just a case now of sitting down with him and seeing where he's at but he's shown a lot of promise in training and a final decision will be made in the next few days."

Plans to get in a fresh striker on loan ahead of Saturday's game against Scunthorpe United may have been scuppered by an injury blight on the two mystery targets.

Player-manager Brass had been hoping to seal a deal to draft someone in today but discovered late yesterday that one of targets in question has picked up a slight knock in training which could delay the move for another week, while the other is just returning from injury.

Stephen Brackstone was one of five trialists playing in Boston United Reserves' 4-3 win over Darlington last night.

The City midfielder, who has been told by the club he will not be offered a new contract in the summer, played 90 minutes of the Pontins Holidays League Division One East encounter. Regular Boston first teamers Stuart Douglas and Mark Angel bagged two goals each.

Updated: 10:56 Thursday, February 26, 2004