Reports that Arsenal had signed a 15-year-old Dublin player, Stephen Bradley, in a deal exceeding £250,000 have been vociferously denied by officials at the teenager's home club, Lourdes Celtic.

While Bradley will travel to Highbury next November - when he reaches the legal minimum apprenticeship age of 16 - there is no substance to the six figure sum which was published earlier this week, according to club sources.

"They might as said £500,000. There is nothing in this," responded Eddie Roche, the secretary and co-founder of Lourdes Celtic, set up in 1957.

"Look, we have a wee lotto, it's a main source of funding and now people are saying, "ah , yez aren't lookin' for more money."

"There has been incredible interest in Stephen because he is a rare talent and for a while, it looked as if West Ham were going to invest in our club when there was a possibility that Stephen might join them.

"Suddenly, all that stopped but that was their loss. Right now, whatever terms are agreed are between Stephen, his family and Arsenal. "Certainly, Lourdes Celtic would be hopeful of benefiting at some stage but again, that has to be worked out," he continued.

Roche was unable to confirm if the details of any future benefit that might befall the Lourdes club, through Bradley's link with Arsenal, would be made known to the public.

"That would have to be discussed by both clubs. But these things have a habit of leaking," he pointed out.

However, this particular case would appear to highlight the fine line between leaked fact and rumour or fabrication. The dizzy talk and attendant hype - Bradley was painted as the leader of a rising group of Irish "starlets" set to cash in early, he was portrayed as the kid who dined with Alex Ferguson and then said, "thanks but no" - do highlight the existent grey area which seems to underline the relationship between Irish youngsters and the big-time cross channel clubs.

"I have something like 106 files right now on both players and clubs with various issues," said Eoin Hand, who is the consultant career guidance officer for the FAI.

"I have English clubs approaching me and wondering what defines the correct procedure for approaching an Irish youngster, which is good. "But it all makes me wonder; what were people doing before there was a system of advice in place?"

For a club of Arsenal's stature to wave a vast sum of money in front of a schoolboy player would be both foolhardy and highly illegal. But while Arsenal might have been exemplary in their relationship with Bradley, it is not unknown for other clubs to interpret the laws relating to payment and age more liberally.

"There are problems in the system but there are also a of very good scouts out there doing hard and honest work," declared Hand.

"Sometimes, people just need direction. What is happening is that clubs are promising kids - 14 year-olds even - certain sums of money somewhere down the line and then, the pressure is on parents to favour this club and effectively exclude other clubs from showing an interest. It narrows the youngster's options." At heart, Stephen Bradley's story is a happy one. Ferguson did visit him, they did eat out and eventually, the U-15 international declined the offer to join the Old Trafford set up. The elite club representatives have gladly formed queues to woo him and his play apparently commands superlatives.

"Really quick feet, He's magic with the ball at his feet. He's five yards past a player before they even see it. Really, he just has outstanding technique and a great attitude. The big thing he needs to work on is physique," says his coach at Lourdes Celtic, Jim Waldren.

The lure of cross channel glamour, as personified by Irish stars like Robbie Keane and Stephen MacPhail, has never been as strong for Irish kids who excel at under-age level. Bradley, despite his immense talent, will still have to traverse two years of solid graft and even then may need a bit of luck in terms of injuries before he gets the chance to illuminate the Premiership with his skills.

For the coming months, though, Bradley will stay in Dublin, lining out for Lourdes Celtic. Meanwhile, other kids will agree to apprenticeship terms and talk of similar bonanza payouts will inevitably circulate. The precise truth of the nature of these deals will remain, in most terms, obscure.

"It's far from perfect right now, but we are getting there," acknowledges Hand.

"The one certain thing is that youngsters do not need this sort of drama at such a young age. It only leads to one thing. Pressure."