The wonderkid that has Man United and Arsenal battling for his signature – talkSPORT talent spotter

According to some reports, Premier League big boys Man United and Arsenal are hovering over Gresty Road waiting for the right moment to snap up Crewe wonderkid Nick Powell. Naturally we wanted to know a bit more about the teenager.

THE NITTY GRITTY
Name: Nick Powell
Position: Forward
Club: Crewe Alexandra
Date of birth: 23/03/94
Place of birth: Crewe

NEED TO KNOW
Powell has been at Crewe since the age of five and his performances since graduating from the club's prestigious academy to the first team at the League Two club, have seen the ace linked with a move to the Premier League. This season - his second full campaign with Crewe - the young striker has scored 11 times in 30 games. Man United assistant manager Mike Phelan has reportedly been to watch him play as has Arsenal scout Steve Rowley and if he does move on to bigger things he'll be joining the likes of previous academy graduates Rob Jones, David Platt, Danny Murphy and Dean Ashton, who all went on to play at the highest level.

FIVE FACTS
1) Powell was playing U-18 football by the time he was 15 and his club gave their young forward his first team debut when he was just 16 in a 1-0 pre-season win against Blackpool in 2010. With five minutes to go of the 2010/11 League Two match against Cheltenham in August, Powell came on for Clayton Donaldson to make his competitive debut.

2) Clarifying his favourite position in January, he said: “Ideally I'd like to be known as in-behind [the main striker] player. My balance is good and allows me to run with the ball but because of that I get kicked a lot.”

3) He scored his first senior goal in Crewe's 3-1 away win against Afc Wimbledon in October 2011.

4) He was a member of England's 2011 U-17 World Cup squad, playing in five of his country's games in Mexico as England lost 3-2 to Germany in the quarter finals.

5) In January 2012, Powell was named League Two Young Player of the Month and at the 2012 Football League awards won the Apprentice of the Year.

HE SAYS
"I would love to carry on through the levels with England and play for a top Premier League club. We'll have to see what happens.”

THEY SAY
“He has always stood out as a talent. He has always been different."
Former Crewe manager and current Academy manager and Director of Football Dario Gradi

“When he tries things and they come off, it's something special, it's something you don't see at this level, it's deserved of a higher level, and he'll get there eventually.”
Crewe manager Steve Davis

VIDEO EVIDENCE