YORK City are hopeful of extending the loan stay of Leeds United forward Luca Thomas.

Thomas, who initially joined York in October, has played a part in City’s promotion push so far this season by registering two goals in nine appearances, and often providing some energy from the bench under manager Adam Hinshelwood.

The 20-year-old is highly-rated by Hinshelwood, who confirmed to the Press of City’s hopes of extending his loan from Leeds, with conversations already underway.

Thomas' current loan contract is due to expire on Thursday, January 2, following York's fixture with Gateshead on New Year's Day.

“Yeah, those conversations are happening,” Hinshelwood confirmed.

“I really, really rate Luca, he’s such a good lad.

“It’s not really worked with playing him and Ollie Pearce together for whatever reason, and he’s been so unfortunate that he’s got the league’s top scorer in front of him at the moment and vying for a starting spot.

“There’s so much potential, his finishing is unbelievable and he’s such a great character, he wants to work hard, he wants to improve and again, is another player at that young age that we see as having so much potential.”

Another player to be staying at City is that of Mo Fadera, despite having a move to Farsley Celtic on an initial one-month loan confirmed on Christmas Eve.

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However, due to a registration issue on Farsley’s part, Fadera will be remaining at York, despite the Celt’s only being able to name a 13-man squad for their match with Curzon Ashton on Boxing Day.

Hinshelwood explained: “It was all agreed with Farsley but I think that there was something with the registration on their end, that didn’t sort of materialise.

“I’m disappointed for Mo, because he needs to get out and play now.

“He’s progressed so well in training and needs to get back to playing regular and learn from mistakes.

“That’s how he’ll improve now, so it’s something to look at.

“We’ll get the Wednesday and the Saturday out of the way because it’s quite close for a turnaround, and then as of next week sit down and see where we are with the squad and what’s best with anybody.

Mo Fadera's loan move to Farsley Celtic has collapsed due to issues on the National League North side's part. (Image: Kai Connell) “Potentially that could mean one or two loans and players going to get minutes, if we can’t give those players that have been out a bit of time and the football they need, then it’s something we’ll look at if they can get minutes elsewhere.”

Hinshelwood is hoping that the use of short-term loans to gain valuable minutes can have a similar impact that it did on Billy Chadwick, who joined Boston United for a one-month loan spell last month.

Having returned to York, Hinshelwood has been impressed by Chadwick’s attitude to training, with the boss labelling his efforts as ‘superb’.

“Bill has been superb since he’s come back into training.

“He’s been training with the group and I think that month away really did him well, especially starting the first couple of games. He’s got a spring in his step since he’s come back, he’s been training really well and has been really positive.

“He’s a great lad and a great player, one that’s got to be patient and wait for his opportunity, but there will be opportunity over these two games for the squad to be used.

“It’s down to the players to take it.”

Finally, a fourth player to be staying a City man, and arguably the most high-profile, is that of Malachi Fagan-Walcott after being presented as a permanent signing on Christmas Eve.

Adam Hinshelwood raved over Malachi Fagan-Walcott's potential. (Image: Tom Poole) Fagan-Walcott has been a standout player in the York backline during his loan spell from Cardiff City, making 16 appearances and scoring once so far for the Minstermen.

It’s a player that Hinshelwood hopes demonstrates the long-term ambitions of the football club, with the manager keen to see the centre-back continue to improve whilst also detailing how the move came about – with thanks to Director of Football Tony McMahon.

He told the Press: “That’s the kind of player that we want to be attracting, a young talent like Malachi.

“He’s got so much potential like we say and he’s someone that can really move up the football pyramid, we want the same.

“I want that as a manager and the club most certainly want that so it seems like the perfect fit. We’re delighted to have him permanently at the club.

“As soon as it was potentially available to happen, the chairman and Macca worked hard to get it over the line.

“We’re delighted to have someone of that calibre and now it’s down to us to keep working on him and make sure that he’s playing week in, week out at a real top level.

“He needs to find some consistent performances, he still shows at times that he’s a young lad, can be naïve and tries to win everything when he can’t do that all of the time.

“It’s how he’ll learn, by playing games of football, and we really believe that we can give him that platform to do that.”