Liverpool to reportedly fight Chelsea for PSG wonderkid on free transfer

Liverpool are reportedly competing with Premier League rivals Chelsea in the pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain's Ismael Gharbi.

The 17-year-old striker is out of contract at the end of the season and with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar ahead of him in the pecking order, a free transfer across the channel could materialise this summer.

And according to GOAL, it's the Reds and their Stamford Bridge adversaries who are monitoring the exciting youngster's situation before preparing to potentially make their move.

PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino has described teenager Gharbi as a 'crack', which is a French term used to describe a young talent. He also encouraged Gharbi to get to know football legend Messi at the Argentinian's first training session for the French club, taking him over the shake his hand.

Gharbi's only appearance for PSG this season was as a late substitute in the French Champions' Trophy against Lille at the start of the season. Although he has staying around the first team for the majority of the season, the only football he has played since then has been for the youth team.

The Parisians are understandably keen to hold onto their young attacking prospect, but the player is believed to be seeking reassurances about his game time at the Parc des Princes next season, before considering putting pen to paper on a new deal.

As reported by GOAL, one of Gharbi's former coaches described him as: "The only youngster who rubs shoulders with the professional group who can impose himself in Paris."

Another ex-coach of the teenager, Guillaume Serra, has previously spoken about his talents. He told RMC, via GOAL: "He is capable of playing in the middle, but also out wide where he can then drift towards