LONDON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Manchester United have signed a gifted nine-year-old after his grandfather sent the Premier League champions a DVD showcasing the boy's talents which has become a YouTube sensation.
Rhain Davis, who was born in England but has lived in
Australia since the age of four, was hailed by the British press
on Thursday as the next Wayne Rooney after the United striker.
The boy's dribbling and goalscoring prowess for an Under-10
side in Brisbane, Australia, feature in a four-minute YouTube
clip, already viewed more than 800,000 times.
United confirmed the signing but played down the hype around
Davis, who has moved back to Cheshire in northern England with
his father, near the club's training ground.
'He's a member of our academy and we don't comment on
individual members,' a United spokesman told Reuters.
He added that the club sign about 40 players of Davis's age
every year and, as is standard, will decide annually whether to
renew his contract or release him.
What was so unusual in Davis's case was that his skills were
brought to the attention of United's youth scouts by the DVD
submission, which could inspire other hopefuls, the spokesman
said.
'We're bracing ourselves for a whole series of DVDs,' he
added.
Davis has been thrilled at the chance to rub shoulders with
some of his idols.
'The best part has been meeting lots of players like Wayne
Rooney,' he told British newspapers.
