A Young Chinese soccer player will have a trial at English giant Arsenal around the middle of this month, Xinmin Evening News reported today.

The English Premier League club has sent an invitation to Mao Jianqing, Shanghai Shenhua SVA striker, the Shanghai-based newspaper said.

"If there is such a chance, I would love to have a try," the newspaper quoted the 20-year-old player as saying.

But Mao said he hasn't been officially informed about the trial yet.

Shanghai Shenhua SVA expressed its support. "This confirms our young players' potential," the News said, citing the club.

Mao's stable and outstanding performance in recent games for the club and the national team impressed Arsenal, the newspaper said.

Several overseas prestigious clubs have shown their interests in young Chinese footballers. Two teenage Chinese players, Wang Dalei and Zhang Wenzhao, went for trials at Inter Milan, one of the top teams in Italian Serie A league, in September.