Liverpool could have to pay more than £1million to sign teenager Max Clayton after complaints about an unofficial approach from his club Crewe.
The Anfield side are the latest Premier League giants to come under scrutiny for their behaviour in recruiting top young talent from smaller teams, after a passionate outburst from Gresty Road director of football Dario Gradi.
The veteran boss has been angered by what he claimed was - in effect - an attempt to "steal" the 15-year-old, and he hinted an official complaint to the FA could follow.
But by last night there had been no contact with Soho Square over the matter, and Liverpool will look to swiftly settle by offering what they consider a reasonable level of compensation.
Crewe could expect to get less than £100,000 if they went to a tribunal, and that left Gradi complaining: "The big clubs are stealing other people's players and you worry financially for the clubs the players are stolen from.
"What sort of compensation are we going to get for all the work that has gone into developing him? Any compensation is insignificant for the effort that's gone in."
But after the fall-out from the Chelsea affair, when the Blues were banned from making any signings for 18 months after being found guilty of an illegal approach to Lens for Gael Kakuta, the Anfield club are ready to offer much more than the minimum compensation figure.
Clayton is regarded as the best young prospect at the Cheshire club, who have produced the likes of Danny Murphy, Rob Jones, Dean Ashton and Seth Johnson through their youth system.
The talented youngster is about to turn 16 and, through a loophole in football rules, can give notice that he wants to leave for another club, despite being attached to Crewe since he was seven years old.
He is the son of former Crewe striker Paul Clayton, and his brother Harry is a first year scholar at Gresty Road. Liverpool have watched him for the past 18 months, and were linked with a £1.5million bid in 2008.
Gradi has become increasingly frustrated at the manner in which his club has lost young players from their famed youth academy.
Manchester United persuaded two players to join them from Crewe last season, while Stoke signed two teenagers this summer, and Everton even took a 12-year-old from the academy.
Liverpool, though, are aware of the current mood after complaints about Chelsea and Manchester United have highlighted an increasing trend in top clubs taking the best young players from much smaller rivals.
They will offer a deal where Crewe are given a rising fee depending on the youngster's success in progressing through the ranks at Anfield, and it could eventually top £1million.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...n-bill-for-Crewe-youngster-article147933.html
The Anfield side are the latest Premier League giants to come under scrutiny for their behaviour in recruiting top young talent from smaller teams, after a passionate outburst from Gresty Road director of football Dario Gradi.
The veteran boss has been angered by what he claimed was - in effect - an attempt to "steal" the 15-year-old, and he hinted an official complaint to the FA could follow.
But by last night there had been no contact with Soho Square over the matter, and Liverpool will look to swiftly settle by offering what they consider a reasonable level of compensation.
Crewe could expect to get less than £100,000 if they went to a tribunal, and that left Gradi complaining: "The big clubs are stealing other people's players and you worry financially for the clubs the players are stolen from.
"What sort of compensation are we going to get for all the work that has gone into developing him? Any compensation is insignificant for the effort that's gone in."
But after the fall-out from the Chelsea affair, when the Blues were banned from making any signings for 18 months after being found guilty of an illegal approach to Lens for Gael Kakuta, the Anfield club are ready to offer much more than the minimum compensation figure.
Clayton is regarded as the best young prospect at the Cheshire club, who have produced the likes of Danny Murphy, Rob Jones, Dean Ashton and Seth Johnson through their youth system.
The talented youngster is about to turn 16 and, through a loophole in football rules, can give notice that he wants to leave for another club, despite being attached to Crewe since he was seven years old.
He is the son of former Crewe striker Paul Clayton, and his brother Harry is a first year scholar at Gresty Road. Liverpool have watched him for the past 18 months, and were linked with a £1.5million bid in 2008.
Gradi has become increasingly frustrated at the manner in which his club has lost young players from their famed youth academy.
Manchester United persuaded two players to join them from Crewe last season, while Stoke signed two teenagers this summer, and Everton even took a 12-year-old from the academy.
Liverpool, though, are aware of the current mood after complaints about Chelsea and Manchester United have highlighted an increasing trend in top clubs taking the best young players from much smaller rivals.
They will offer a deal where Crewe are given a rising fee depending on the youngster's success in progressing through the ranks at Anfield, and it could eventually top £1million.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...n-bill-for-Crewe-youngster-article147933.html
