United and Toffees eye youngster

Premier League clubs Manchester United and Everton are both keen on Royal Antwerp starlet Geoffrey Hairemans.

And it appears United are heading the race for the young midfielder, having handed the 18-year-old a trial at Carrington this week.

United’s cause is further improved by the fact that Antwerp are their feeder club in Belgium.

Hairemans has broken into Antwerp’s first-team this season and has impressed United’s scouting network.

He revealed that Warren Joyce, who previously worked at Antwerp and is now United reserve coach, had invited him to England.

“I have had a very nice week, many boys would pay huge money to share such an experience,” Hairemans said.

“The intensity was very high and the training those guys do was quite hard.

“I also trained with the first-team boys, with Paul Scholes and Michael Owen, but I dared not speak with them.”

Hairemans, who likes to play on the left, also confirmed that he is aware that Everton have been watching him.

“I was shocked when I learnt that an Everton scout was watching me,” he said.

“I have never expected anything like this, but I am very happy about the interest.”

Westerlo are also keen to keep the player in Belgium, and Hairemans has admitted he wants to remain with Antwerp until the end of the season.