Sources: Liverpool open preliminary talks over signing Colombian sensation Kevin Mantilla
Liverpool have opened preliminary talks over signing Colombian defender Kevin Mantilla after he dazzled at the South American Under-20 Championship, sources have told Football Insider.
The 19-year-old caught the eye of the Merseyside giants' talent spotters at the tournament that finished last week.
Liverpool have held a meeting to discuss a potential deal for Mantilla as they lay the groundwork for what would be a summer move.
It is believed there is rival interest in the rising star from other Premier League clubs.
Mantilla, who plays for Colombian club Independiente Santa Fe, is a centre-back who can also operate at right-back.
He has played mainly in central defence for his club - with 25 senior appearances already to his name - but operated on the right side of the defence for Colombia Under-20s at the tournament in which they finished third.
It means Colombia, winners Brazil and second-placed Uruguay have qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2023 Pan American Games.
Premier League clubs are targeting top young talent in south America due to the difficulties in signing rising stars from Europe as a result of the Brexit regulations.
Scouts from around the world were in attendance at the South American U-20 Championships, which is seen as a hotbed of leading youth talent across the globe.
Liverpool are among the elite clubs who see it as a better market now for young players than Europe.