Manchester United have lined up York City teenager Adam Boyes as a possible transfer target.

Boyes, 17, has just completed a two-week trial with the Old Trafford giants and is also believed to be interesting fellow Premier League big guns Middlesbrough and Tottenham.

The Lingdale-based forward scored for the Red Devils in a youth tournament that also featured hosts Spurs, Boro, Hibernian and a touring Russian side.

United are yet to follow up their interest with an approach for the City striker, but KitKat Crescent chief Colin Walker confirmed that Boyes had visited the Premier League champions for two weeks' work experience.

Walker said: "There were a couple of times last season when Manchester United scouts watched our youth team as well as the other sides we were playing. In the end, Adam Boyes was invited on a week's experience at Manchester United.

"That turned into two weeks and the second was a tournament which he asked my permission to play in and I gave that. The feedback and vibes have all been very positive but, as it stands, Adam is still a York City player and it's been a fantastic experience for the boy. It's all about an experience for the boy at the moment and hopefully he will still be in my squad next season because you can't buy the experience he's just had."

Boyes is yet to make his full City debut but made four substitute appearances last season with his debut coming in March's FA Trophy semi-final, second leg tie with Torquay.

He also scored a hat-trick for the reserves against Barnsley last month and Walker feels United's tracking of Boyes illustrates the importance of maintaining the club's existing youth structure, with Sir Alex Ferguson having already signed Minstermites Jonathan Greening and Nick Culkin in the past.

An appeal was launched last month by first-team coach driver Colin Swann to meet a £10,000 shortfall in funding and guarantee the continuation of under-18 football at KitKat Crescent next season.

Walker has recruited donations towards that target himself and said: "I set Neil Redfearn on as youth team coach because, like Eric Winstanley and myself, he is a massive believer in youth development and our youth system.

"We saw its success last season in the FA Youth Cup run, some consistent performances in the reserves, the appearances of Andy McWilliams, Liam Shepherd and Adam Boyes in the first team and now the fact that Manchester United are showing an interest in the policy, which they have always kept an eye on."

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