Josh Ginnelly is told to choose Shrewsbury

The highly-rated 18-year-old winger has rejected two offers of a first professional contract, after three brief appearances last season.

Speculation has linked Coventry-born Ginnelly, who was released from Aston Villa's academy in 2013 before joining Town, with Newcastle, Stoke, Sunderland and Wolves.

The player is elieved to be assessing his options with his agent, but Mellon is happy for the teenager to bide his time to make the correct choice.

Mellon said: "Josh, his family and his agent are quite rightly seeing what options there are out there, and what's best for the next stage of his development.

"I'd be well impressed if he goes round and looks at all of his options – and has those offers – but then decides to stay at Shrewsbury, because that means he's 100 per cent sure about staying.

"We want Josh to take his time and make the right decision. I wouldn't want him staying here wondering if there's a better option.

"But he's only a young boy, so hopefully he's getting the right sort of advice and guidance."

Despite the speculation, Mellon hasn't been contacted by other clubs.

He said: "I know the managers and the Under-21s managers of the clubs linked with him, and I've never had any contact from them.

"So if there's anything in it, that does surprise me, because why wouldn't they ask his current manager if he was any good or not? We'll pick it up again in the next few days."

Mellon wants Ginnelly to follow youngsters such as Ryan Woods and Connor Goldson, who are now first-team regulars.

The Town boss said: "He's certainly a player we'd like to keep because there's a pathway for him here and we have a plan for him.

"Like Ryan and Connor, he can see it's working for them, so we're hopeful."