Manchester United have stepped up their chase for Tom Ince, according to reports, with the winger high on Sir Alex Ferguson's wishlist as he continues to star for Blackpool.

In nine appearances for the Tangerines this season, Ince has scored six goals, with braces against Ipswich and Millwall to help his side into eighth place in the table and just one point off the playoff zone.

United have been connected to the 20 year old on multiple occasions in the past month, with Ian Holloway insisting that Ferguson will have to speak to him first if he plans on taking one of the club's breakthrough stars to Old Trafford.

"I can't keep anybody. I am working with them to get them to a Man United or Arsenal," he said last week.

Tom Ince
Tom Ince is a transfer target for Manchester United.

"That's what I want to do for these boys. I have got to keep turning them out and that's how it is. If we are not successful this year, do I want to stand in his way? Probably not. But we deserve a fair amount of money for him."

With that in mind, Sky Sports are today reporting that Ferguson scouted Ince against Charlton on Saturday, though he had to wait to watch the youngster, who came off the bench in the 52nd minute for Tiago Gomes.

Ince's performances for the England Under 21s helped take him onto the big stage in terms of transfer speculation, and the Liverpool youth player has reportedly been watched by United for some time.

Holloway described the Stokport-born man as better than Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Theo Walcott in his recent comments, and though he would prefer to keep Ince on board, come January United could well be close to making a move for the starlet, who is said to be worth around £6 million.

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