Profile: potential Bristol City signing Scott Wootton

Bristol City have their eye on Manchester United defender Scott Wootton, but may have to fight off Blackburn Rovers to secure his signature.

City are keen to sign the 21-year-old on loan, according to an Ashton Gate source, with Robins manager Derek McInnes eager to utilise Wootton until the end of the season. Blackburn Rovers are also reported to be showing interest in the former Liverpool player.

Birkenhead-born Wootton began his career at Tranmere Rovers Centre of Excellence. He was picked up by Liverpool as a 13-year-old, and went on to play for the Under-18 side.

In 2007, at the age of 15, Wootton was offered a scholarship deal with the club. But after showing hesitation, rival club Manchester United presented him with a contract.

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“I wasn't too sure whether I was going to sign (for Liverpool),” Wootton later told the Daily Mail. “United invited me down for a week's trial and said they wanted to sign straight after that. It was really good.”

Wootton soon became a regular for the United Reserves, and was shortlisted for the group's Player of the Year award.

That same year Wootton was capped by England for the first time, in the Nordic Tournament. He would, in 2011, be back in a Three Lions squad, for the FIFA World Cup in Colombia.

The youngster was reunited with former club Tranmere in October 2010 when boss Les Parry signed him on a month’s loan. He made five appearances and scored on his debut against Brighton.

The following month Wootton penned an emergency loan deal with Tranmere, keeping him at the club until January.

In the summer of 2011, yet to make his United first-team debut, Wootton penned a loan deal with Peterborough United. The starlet, who featured 14 times for the club, saw his loan spell terminated in January 2012.

Wootton had been due to remain at London Road until the end of the season, but boss Darren Ferguson explained: "I had a chat with Scott and he felt he wasn't really playing enough games. So I was happy to let him go back to Old Trafford."

On January 31, 2012 – January transfer deadline day – Wootton penned a loan deal with Nottingham Forest, committing him to the club for the remainder of the season.

Boss Steve Cotterill told the club’s official website: "Scott is a good footballer, he's composed. He's a big lad and played very well against us here for Peterborough - he actually played in midfield that day - and he will bring a bit of youthful exuberance to us.”

According to the Manchester United website, Wootton "helped the City Ground club stave off relegation and performed well”.

His profile on the club’s website continues: “The fact that he was often utilised at right-back for Forest highlighted his versatility and he played for United's Reserves six times in all during the term - including in the Barclays Premier Reserves play-off against Aston Villa at Old Trafford when he helped his side keep a clean sheet before winning the penalty shoot-out.”

Wootton made both his United debut and his UEFA Champions League debut in October 2012.

Manchester manager Sir Alex Ferguson is now understood to be ready to send Wootton out on loan in order to gain first-team experience in the English second tier.