Save your money Sven and invest in me - Ched

Apr 2 2008 Western Mail

WELSH young gun Ched Evans is planning to stop Sven-Goran Eriksson forking out millions this summer ... and help cement his place in John Toshack’s senior team in the process.

The teenage hotshot knows Eriksson has been given a fortune to spend in the transfer market to buy the right strikers for Manchester City next season.

But Evans has set his own sights on establishing himself in the Swede’s first-choice XI.

He hopes the glut of goals he has scored in key U21 games for Wales, and the strikes he has netted on loan with Norwich in the Championship, will be enough to persuade Eriksson to take a chance on him.

Evans has fired seven goals in the Welsh U21s’ march to the top of their European Championship table, including a highly impressive hat-trick against France.

He has also struck six goals in 16 Norwich starts since joining Glenn Roeder’s team and is in a rich vein of scoring form.

Eriksson has already warned Roeder to forget a close season transfer move for his Welsh youngster, but Evans is taking nothing for granted when he heads back to Eastlands.

“The money the manager has to spend probably won’t help me,” Evans admitted.

“But if I work hard and impress him in training, he will be forced to have a look at me and then I must take my chance.”

Eriksson has spent almost £50m on new recruits since becoming Manchester City manager last summer.

The former England manager, fuelled by Thaksin Shinawatra's millions, hopes to splash similar cash this summer to realise his club’s European dream.

City are light in the striker department and Eriksson needs a prolific marksman or two to fire the Blues into Europe next season.

But Evans maintained, “I'm confident in my own ability, I just need the chance and show the boss that he won't need to buy a striker.”

Evans is already on the verge of breaking into John Toshack’s senior Welsh squad, but has been held back to help Brian Flynn’s U21s qualify for their own Euro finals.

But it seems certain Evans will be in Toshack’s World Cup set-up at some point of the South Africa 2010 qualifying campaign.

And he knows playing in the Premiership will boost his prospects of starring next to the likes of Craig Bellamy, Simon Davies and Jason Koumas in the red of his country.

“Hopefully I’m going to get a new contract at Manchester City,” continued Evans.

“I’ve got a year left on my deal there and they have said they are going to offer me a new one.

“I’m looking forward to going back to Manchester to show the manager how much I’ve improved and how good I am.”

Eriksson said he had no plans to sell Evans. “If I had to make a plan today, it’s to take him back for pre-season, look at him and decide from there. That will be his big chance,” said the manager.

“He’s doing well at the moment for Norwich and his country. But a little bit depends on him.”