Coventry City player emerges on Man United transfer radar | OneFootball

Manchester United are one of a host of clubs keeping tabs on 16-year-old Coventry City midfielder George Shepherd.

Manchester United are monitoring the progress of young Coventry City midfielder George Shepherd, according to reports.

That's according to the Daily Mail, who have claimed that the 16-year-old Sky Blues prodigy is being monitored by the 20-time Premier League champions, having broken into Frank Lampard's first team squad.

Shepherd impressed for Coventry's under-21s, scoring in his first and only Premier League Cup experience, and was rewarded by being named on the bench for City's first team in their 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Whilst the teenager didn't get on the pitch, being named on the bench for the Championship leaders is no small feat, and has reportedly sparked interest from one of the biggest clubs in world football.

Man Utd have been strengthening their youth ranks via external means in recent years, and Shepherd could be the next up-and-coming young prodigy to make the move to Old Trafford, as United look to shape a more successful future.

The lowdown on Coventry City's George Shepherd as Man United interest emerges

Coventry are the talk of the Championship currently, and for all the right reasons. Lampard has got his side cooking on gas after a strong summer, which has them sitting at the top of the table, with six wins and four draws in their opening 10 league matches.

The Sky Blues were also in the spotlight again on Saturday, as the ex-Chelsea boss named 16-year-old midfielder Shepherd on the bench to face Blackburn, which certainly caught the eye of supporters.

Shepherd is a scholar at the CBS Arena, and has risen through the ranks, impressing for the under-18s and the under-21s, which earned him a call-up to the senior squad on Saturday at just 16 years old.

Lampard revealed that the teenager has been training on and off with the first team since the last international break, and has caught the eye in these training sessions, which earned him a spot on the bench for the visit of Blackburn.

Shepherd was described by his manager as a 'very versatile attacking player', being most comfortable as an attacking midfielder, but has featured on the right wing for the under-21s.

After achieving such a huge milestone in his career on Saturday, reports suggest that the Chelsea and England legend isn't his only admirer, and one of the biggest clubs in the world is eyeing the Coventry prospect up.

Manchester United monitoring Coventry City starlet George Shepherd

Whilst Shepherd's story is currently unfolding in the Midlands, he has one rather exciting admirer keeping a watchful eye on his progress, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

Manchester United have been named as one of the many clubs monitoring the situation unfolding with the 16-year-old, as he is yet to sign a professional deal with Coventry, which could see them swoop to sign him.

The Red Devils have looked externally for young talent in recent transfer windows, with the likes of Ayden Heaven, Diego Leon, Sekou Kone and most recently Cristian Orozco.

With this model seemingly set to continue, United have reportedly set their sights on the Coventry youngster as their next young prodigy to come through the door from a different club, but they face a host of competition from clubs elsewhere.

It will be interesting to see how this story develops, particularly if Shepherd makes his break into the Sky Blues' starting XI, which could see them react by handing him a pro deal.