By Chris O'Brien
December 25 2005

Crewe Alexandra have confessed their interest in signing young Manchester United forward Giuseppe Rossi on a loan basis. The 18-year-old has enjoyed a sensational start to his career at Old Trafford.

Championship strugglers Crewe Alexandra have admitted their interest in United's talented young forward Giuseppe Rossi.

The Cheshire outfit have been scouting Rossi for several weeks and had hoped to launch an audacious attempt to bring the Italian to Gresty Road on a temporary basis.

"He was a player we looked at from the start of the season and his progress has been phenomenal. You can see him figuring for Manchester United with them being out of Europe quite a bit more in the next few months." said head scout Glyn Chamberlain.

"I don't know whether a loan would be out of the question now. It depends on how United view his development and whether they think it is better for him to play a game here and there, or whether they think it is best to send him out for three or four months for him to get some games under his belt on a regular basis."

The American-born teenager has enjoyed a sensational start to his Manchester United career since a move from Parma. He has two goals to his name and has racked up a superb number of displays for the reserves, including a recent hat-trick against Manchester City.

A whole host of other Championship clubs are rumoured to be rivalling Crewe's interest in signing Rossi in a loan deal. Sir Alex Ferguson must now decide whether he wants to hold onto the starlet or blood the striker at a lower level.