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A NINE-YEAR-OLD soccer "wonder kid", from Australia, on the verge of being snapped up by Manchester United has family roots in Nuneaton, England.

Rhain Davis has flown 11,000 miles from his home in Australia to spend a month with the Premiership champions.

He arrived in Britain last week in a blaze of publicity.

Footage of his breathtaking dribbling skills was posted on internet site YouTube and has so far been viewed by more than three million people.

The boy is being hailed as the next Wayne Rooney and could one day play for England because he holds a UK passport after his parents emigrated to Australia.

The Nuneaton Telegraph can reveal that his proud grandfather, Peter Davis, runs a carpet business in Nuneaton.

Mr Davis, though, is anxious to protect the gifted grandson with the world at his feet.

"I have no comment to make," he said.

"There was a lot of publicity, unbelievable publicity, and it has put a lot of pressure on him.

"Every newspaper in England and Australia has covered it and we don't want any more publicity."

Mr Davis runs The Carpet Centre, in the Horeston Grange shopping precinct in Cambourne Drive, Nuneaton.

The family has football in its veins - both Mr Davis and his son Mark - Rhain's dad - who grew up in Nuneaton, were well-known on the Nuneaton football scene, with Mark playing most recently for Nuneaton Ex-Servicemen's, part of the now defunct Nuneaton Amateur League.

But the storm surrounding the talented youngster - who is still under 4ft - has hit international proportions.

He was "discovered" after his grandfather sent a DVD of his soccer skills to Manchester United and club officials were so impressed that they invited the boy to travel 11,000 miles from his home in Brisbane to spend a month at the club's youth academy.

Rhain has travelled to the UK with his dad Mark, and mum Leah and brothers, Emerson and Reeve, will join them shortly.

He is one of about 20 youngsters of his age selected for the Manchester United youth academy each year.

Bookies William Hill rate Rhain at 33/1 to play for England and at 20/1 to play for United.

Source: ICcoventry.co.uk

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