Darren Ferguson not anticipating bid for Doncaster Rovers' Liam Mandeville

Doncaster Rovers Liam Mandeville (Picture: Marie Caley).

The teenager is currently riding the crest of a wave, having plundered seven goals in his past nine outings, including an outstanding free-kick to give the League Two high-fliers three points against Grimsby Town at the weekend.

Mandeville’s feats saw him earn the EFL Young Player of the Month award for November and, despite confirming that a number of clubs are tracking the talented 19-year-old, Ferguson is relaxed about the situation.

Ferguson, who also confirmed that defender Craig Alcock is fit for the Boxing Day game at Notts County, said: “I cannot stop clubs looking and making bids.

“But I do not think we are at that level yet. I really don’t.

“Football is a very small world and whenever a 19-year-old is doing well at any level and scoring the amount of goals he has, and getting the publicity of winning the young player of the month, it goes around very quickly. We fully expect clubs to be looking at him and it is long overdue at a club like this.

“Yes, there are people watching him. But I don’t think we are anyone near the level where people will be making bids.”

Ferguson says the club are close to signing prolific Hythe Town striker Alfie May and a deal is set to be completed early next month. May, 23, has scored 27 goals for the Ryman League Division One South side this term and has had trials at Stevenage and Gillingham as well with Rovers.

In his previous two campaigns in non-league football, May netted 29 and 41 goals respectively.

Ferguson added: “We are close. We are very interested.

“Nothing is definite yet, but I have met the boy and we will see what happens over the next few days and nothing can be done until January 1.

“We are hoping that something can happen by then. He had a week with us (in training) and it gave us a chance to look at him and it gave him a chance to look at us.

“We feel that he has got good potential. He’s a natural goalscorer and there’s a lot of things I like about him – mostly his attitude and desire to be ‘a player’.”