ITALIAN under-20 international Diego de Girolamo is keen to stay at York City beyond his initial one-month loan spell.

The Sheffield United attacker marked his Minstermen debut with a goal in last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Newport.

It was a game that also represented the 19-year-old's first start in League football and he is hoping to gain further experience with the Bootham Crescent outfit, saying: "I hope I can extend my loan.

"It will depend on how I perform but I will be working really hard to try and make sure York want to keep me. I really want to play League football and I'm so happy to come here."

Having been brought to City by former manager Nigel Worthington, De Girolamo was described as a player who could play on the flanks or as a centre forward.

But De Girolamo feels he is most effective in the position he started against Newport.

He explained: "I prefer to be more down the middle where I can be positive and go straight for goal. It's my favourite position really.

"The way I have always played is to take people on and get shots off. I'm not really fussed about going down the sides but, if I have to play on the wing, that's fine by me."

The Blades teenager also revealed that current City development consultant and ex-Premier League frontman Richard Cresswell was an early inspiration for him when the latter was a coach and team-mate as he made inroads into the first team at Bramall Lane.

"When I was 17, he was brilliant and one of the players I looked up to," De Girolamo enthused. "Every single day after training, he never let me be lazy and used to pull me back for extra finishing. He was a great pro and a great player to work with."

Worthington's last signing as City boss had a mixed afternoon in Wales on Saturday, grabbing his first senior goal on eight minutes, before being replaced early in the second half following Russell Penn's red card and then watching on as the team surrendered their one-goal advantage.

The defeat was followed by Worthington's resignation two days later and, on his baptism of fire, De Girolamo added: "It was quite depressing in the dressing room afterwards.

"We were all upset because we were on fire at the start and it looked like we were going to get an easy three points. I would have liked 90 minutes under my belt and three points but that's not how it worked out.

"I can understand why I had to be sacrificed for the team's sake and I don't mind that. I was also happy to make my debut for York City.

"It was my first start in the league and to score as well was a great feeling."

De Girolamo was paired with fellow loan striker Ryan Brunt in Wales and believes the duo could complement each other in coming matches, reasoning: "He seems like a great striking partner and I thought we linked really well together. It's good to have such a big presence alongside you who will win headers."

There are few past or present City players, make that none, who have been the subject of a personal phone call from Italian legend Arrigo Sacchi.

But the two-time European Cup winner, who also guided the Azzurri to the 1994 World Cup final, made contact with Chesterfield-born De Girolamo to persuade him to commit his international honour to his father's homeland instead.

On that honour, he confessed: "I was buzzing when my dad got a phone call from him. In Italy, he's like a God.

"If he walks into a room, people stand up, shake his hand and bow. It's a great feeling playing for your country and I hope there will be more caps to come."

City's loan forward has also been linked with the likes of Arsenal, both Manchester clubs and Juventus in the past but, for now, he is concentrating on getting back to the point he was at before suffering a serious knee injury.

"I was flying at 17," he revealed. "I was with the first team full-time and playing League and international football, but the injury put me out for 11 months and then it probably took an extra two months to get my sharpness back.

"I did my cruciate and meniscus so it was a hard one to come back from, but I'm fine now."

De Girolamo is now relishing the chance to make his home debut, having experienced Bootham Crescent as a visiting Sheffield United player in pre-season.

"The fans seemed great and were loud," he said of that experience. "It's a good, little ground for me to gain some League experience and I'm really looking forward to playing there."