THE world's most famous soccer club - Manchester United - has offered nine-year-old Brisbane whiz kid Rhain Davis a shot at stardom.

Rhain has been invited to join Manchester United's famed academy, the breeding ground of current Red Devils' star Ryan Giggs and 1966 World Cup-winning England hero Bobby Charlton.

The young midfield general, who played for the under-10 development squad at Redlands United, caught the attention of United scouts on a DVD passed on to the club by his England-based grandfather.

Rhain, who holds a British passport, was soon on a plane to Britain and, according to mother Leah, "won't be back".

Instead, Mrs Davis, her husband Mark, and their two other children Emerson and Reeve will re-locate to Manchester.

"It's for family and business reasons," she said.

Mrs Davis said Rhain had hardly taken off his Manchester United's shirt since being given the football chance of a lifetime.

"It's been awesome so far," Rhain said from Manchester last night. "The best part has been getting to meet a lot of the players."

Rhain now counts among his "friends" United stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Wes Brown and includes Ronaldo in his nightly prayers.

The United academy starts at under nines, with the club deciding by the under 12 stage whether to offer players a full-time scholarship.

Diana Patchett, who has guided Rhain during his school soccer career at Moreton Bay Boys College, has no doubt her star pupil was on track to earn a scholarship.

"He is so well-balanced on the ball," Mrs Patchett said. "His ability to shield the ball in a tight space is extraordinary for someone of his age."

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22096441-5003412,00.html