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BORO are hoping to sign highly-rated Manchester United striker Will Keane on a long-term loan deal.

The Gazette understands talks have already taken place between the two clubs about a potential move to the Riverside.

Keane is a 19-year-old England Under-21 international who has made one first team appearance for United. He can score goals with either foot and has been likened to a young Teddy Sheringham.

With first team opportunities at a premium at United, Sir Alex Ferguson is open to the idea of loaning him out for a long-term spell and, given Keane’s lack of experience, the Championship would seem the obvious place for him to cut his teeth.

Manchester United Reserves manager Warren Joyce believes a loan spell would benefit the teenager, who was a late substitute for England Under-21s in the recent Euro 2013 international qualifier against Belgium at the Riverside.

“I do think we have some good players here who don’t get that recognition if they’re not playing league football,” he told the United website. “We’re pretty confident here that Will could be out there doing it in the league.

“Both Sheringham and Solskjaer were fantastic strikers, technicians and goalscorers but they also had a ruthless streak in them. We’re trying to bring that out in Will.

“He’s very elegant on the ball and has traits like those two players. He just needs to be himself and come out and be known as Will Keane.

“He's great and a really nice lad off the field. We’re trying to get him to be ruthless, show aggression to finish runs into the box and be more desperate for goals. I think these are the things that we’ve got to try to drill into him and I expect him to have a bright future.”

Keane scored four goals in a 6-3 Premier Reserve League North win over Newcastle at Whitley Bay last month.

Paul Scholes has been impressed by what he’s seen of the Stockport-born striker, even likening him to former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

“I think Will Keane has the capability to be a top-class centre-forward,” he said. “He’s one of the lads I've been working with. He was always someone I liked when I was watching the youth teams. He’s just got a presence about him, he's a strong lad and has great feet - the ability to strike a ball. The kind of things Ruud van Nistelrooy had.”