Coleraine teenager Bobby Jack McAleese is closing in on a move to Nottingham Forest after impressing one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s trusted disciples.
Warren Joyce, who was reserve team boss at Manchester United between 2008 and 2016, has been lead coach with Forest’s U18s since the summer.
And it is understood McAleese, a silky footballer who lives near the Coleraine Showgrounds, caught the eye on a recent visit to the Championship club.
The 16-year-old was called into the Northern Ireland U17 set-up earlier this season and was a standout player for Coleraine U17 in a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United U16s in July.
The Old Trafford youngsters faced the Bannsiders at Portstewart as part of a mini-tour to mark the 30th anniversary of Manchester United’s first ever SuperCup NI triumph in 1991.
It is understood McAleese, one of the most promising midfield talents in Northern Ireland, has been tracked by Forest scouts for a number of months.
The teenager is set to join Forest before the end of the month with a deal expected as early as this week.
Earlier this season, Coleraine youth coach Martin Smith described McAleese as "one of the best young midfield players in the country with a bright future in the game".
