PREMIERSHIP champions Manchester United are ready to strike a sensational lucrative deal with Newport County by making the Exiles one of their 'nursery' clubs.

Sir Alex Ferguson's backroom men have been thrashing-out the contract with County chiefs for approximately three months as the Old Trafford giants bid for a South Wales base to groom their promising top stars of the future.

Under the deal, United would hand-pick top Welsh youngsters via their extensive scouting network and leave them in the capable hands of County boss Peter Nicholas and his assistant Glyn Jones, who are highly-rated coaches at junior level.

The aspiring youngsters would train at Newport's successful Hartridge School-based youth academy and visit United's training base to be coached alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes.

The Dr Martens League club would also bank a huge cash windfall every year as a United team would visit Spytty Park for a pre-season game as part of the money-spinning deal.

County chairman Wallace Brown and the management duo of Nicholas and Jones, the double-act formerly in charge of Welsh Under-17 team, are sworn to secrecy by Old Trafford's top brass but the Argus understands the deal is '95 per cent done.'

Newport would gain substantial financial reward from United, the richest club in the world, for developing their young talent as they bid to unearth the next Ryan Giggs or Mark Hughes.

The exact figure will be agreed when the deal is finalised but County will bank bonuses from the players' schoolboy days right through to a first-team appearance for United - or a percentage of a transfer fee.

The proposed deal is a major coup for Newport but a massive snub for Wales' Nationwide League teams.

Cardiff City and Swansea City fear the Principality's best young talent will be lured to Gwent.

As United move into Wales, the tie-up with Newport - similar to their agreement with Welsh Premier League side Connah's Quay Nomads in the north - gets around the FA rule that states youngsters should be within 90-minute drive of their professional football club.

United were drawn towards County due to their thriving youth academy and Nicholas and Jones' excellent reputation as youth coaches.

A United player has already been signed on by County but Fergie has told Newport to protect the identity of the 'striker' to 'keep his feet on the ground and avoid intense media interest.'

The player will train with the academy and play occasional youth team matches. He could also play for County's first-team so long as Manchester United chiefs agree.