YORK City manager Gary Mills is “hopeful” that Blue Square Bet Premier hot-shot Jon Shaw will be plying his trade at Bootham Crescent next season.

Shaw, who plundered 35 goals for Gateshead last season including a hat-trick against the Minstermen, has already held talks with Mills but a clutch of other clubs, including City’s League Two rivals Oxford United, are also interested in the former Burton, Halifax and Rochdale striker’s services.

The 28-year-old free agent played for City on loan from Sheffield Wednesday during the club’s last season of League football in 2003/4 and Mills is counting on that affinity with the North Yorkshire outfit to be a deal clincher.

He said: “I like Jon Shaw. I think he’s a good player and he would fit into our way of playing.

“I’ve spoken to him and it’s down to him now. I’m hopeful he will come here but there are three or four other good clubs interested in him.

“If he feels it’s right and wants to come to York then great. He will do well for us.

“Like any other player, he will take a certain period of time to decide where he wants to go and, likewise, there will be a certain period of time we can wait too.”

Mills has also insisted that he will not get embroiled in a bidding war with big-spending rivals for any player this summer, adding: “We won’t compete financially with anybody.

“We will offer and pay what we can at York City but what we also offer players is a fantastic football club to work at with fantastic people.

“People will have to decide whether York City are the right club for them because I want players to come here for the right reasons.”

Mills, meanwhile, has decided to offer out-of-contract defender Jamal Fyfield a new deal for the 2012/13 season.

Utility man Fyfield started 30 matches last season but failed to make the squad for the Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final win over Luton and only played seven minutes of the FA Trophy triumph against Newport.

Commenting on the 23-year-old’s situation, Mills said: “Jamal’s been offered terms so I am waiting to see if he will accept, just as I am with Ashley Chambers, Dan Parslow and Adriano Moké.

“There’s no doubt Jamal has potential and that there’s a player there. His time at the club has been a learning process. I’m hoping he has grown up and learned what the game is all about.

“It’s not all about the physical side of playing a game of football but also understanding the job you need to do for the team and, if I can get the best out of him, we will have one hell of a player.”

With Ben Gibson having returned to parent club Middlesbrough and the future of free agent James Meredith at Bootham Crescent still uncertain, Fyfield could be a contender at left-back for City next season.

Mills admitted he has not been able to contact Meredith, who is free to leave the Minstermen under the Bosman ruling, since the end of last season.

The 24-year-old full-back did not join the squad for their end-of-season celebration in Benidorm because he was visiting his family in Australia and Mills added: “I’ve not been able to offer James Meredith anything yet as I’ve not spoken to him.

“I’ve not been able to contact him in Australia and I am hoping I can get into talks with him as soon as possible because I don’t know what’s happening with him.”