FOREIGN powers are closing in on York City.

And that could spark an international playing presence at Bootham Crescent before the year 2,000.

That was the declaration of City manager Alan Little before today shepherding his home-grown charges into the start of the 1998-99 domestic season away at Preston North End.

Football in the top-flight is increasingly spinning under a bewildering brigade of imports from across the globe, big-money moves fuelled by the World Cup.

But recent signs were pointing to an unparalleled international swing towards the Minstermen as players are drawn almost magnetically to the prospects of carving out careers in England.

That brave new world at City was drawing closer, concluded Little, after spending a large chunk of summer fielding calls from would-be recruits across Europe.

The club too had been besieged by a glut of agents seeking possible places for players from France, Italy and Spain.Said Little: "I can foresee the day when we will have international players here and it won't be that far away.

"There's so many young Italians and French players who want to come to this country to play football. The whole thing has been thrown wide open by the Bosman ruling.

"We are getting so much stuff from various agents and players' representatives now. We are being bombarded."

The dilemma facing City was how best to sift through the Continental drift and actually get down to bringing a foreign player to York.

"It's all a question of whether you have the capacity to take one on and how it then develops. But I can see it happening here.

"It's a gamble, but it's one we may have to take. It all depends on the quality, but everyone wants to play in England. It's the place to be."

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