Zimbabwean wonderkid on Manchester United radar

David Moyes made a surprise appearance in the stands for Chesterfield's League Two clash with Fleetwood this weekend - as he runs the rule over wonderkid Tendayi Darikwa.

Darikwa is the latest young prospect to roll off Chesterfield's product line of talent - and Moyes is just the latest Premier League manager to show an interest.

Darikwa once said he will play for Zimbabwe if picked, scotching newspaper claims that he "turned his back on the Warriors".

England-born Darikwa, who has a British mum and Zimbabwean dad, asked to play for Zimbabwe's junior teams three years ago but was told to pay a $5 000 "processing fee" by the former Zifa CEO Henrietta Rushwaya, now sacked for corruption.

Tottenham, West Ham and Fulham are all thought to be monitoring the 21-year-old, who has established him as a key player for The Spireites.

A tall, quick and powerful right winger who can also play on the left, many have compared him to United starlet Wilfried Zaha - somebody Moyes will know all about.

And the Red Devils manager seemed impressed with what he saw from Darikwa as he played the full 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Fleetwood.

It's thought Nottingham Forest are the front runners for the player's signature, but Moyes is said to be considering a £2million move to trump them in January.

Darikwa was previously linked with Everton last year, when Moyes was in charge.

Tendayi Darikwa  signed a new three-year deal with English League Two side Chesterfield at the beginning of the year.

The 20-year-old winger, who had only agreed a one-year extension in the summer, has scored two goals in 15 appearances this season.

The player's rich vein of form saw him named Football League Young Player of the Month for December - and his progress will be monitored by new Zimbabwe coach Klaus Pagels who could use the player's parentage to enlist him for his squad ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

Darikwa - who has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs including Everton and Liverpool - joined Chesterfield as a right-back after leaving school at 16 and made his Football League debut last February at Notts County, a ground just down the road from where he still lives with his mother in West Bridgford.

In late September, Tommy Wright - now assistant to current Chesterfield boss Paul Cook but back then running the first team following the departure of John Sheridan - pushed him into an attacking position for the trip to Northampton. It was Darikwa's first league start.

"There was nothing particularly tactical about the decision," Wright told BBC Sport. "We had a few injuries and I knew he would work hard.

"Since then he has flourished. What has happened to him over the last six months is massive. It has got to the point where you can see other teams worrying about how to stop him."

Cook took over as manager in late October and shortly afterwards gave Darikwa a new three-year deal.

"I don't think he is very good," deadpanned the affable Cook when asked what he thought of Darikwa. "I think everyone should leave him alone. I think he is going backwards at the minute."

But in truth he readily acknowledges that in a short space of time Darikwa, who usually plays on the right side of an attacking trio behind a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation, has become one of his key players.

"He is already a very good footballer and he is going to have a very good career," said Cook.

"We all want young lads to be in the team but they must be good enough - and he certainly is."