George Shepherd was linked with interest from Manchester United barely an hour and half after the final whistle of last weekend’s game against Blackburn when he was named on the bench for Coventry City.

The 16-year-old Sky Blues Academy star had earned his place in the first team’s matchday squad after impressing head coach Frank Lampard after stepping up to train with the senior players on occasions over the last couple of months.

Asked if he knows whether there is any truth in the claims and whether it was coincidence that the story by the Daily Mail was published online so soon after the lad had featured on the teamsheet, albeit unused in the 2-0 CBS Arena victory, Lampard, breaking into a chuckle, said: “It’s great isn’t it! I don’t know why.”

He added: “George is a really good

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