In recent days, Liverpool and Southampton have been linked with young midfielder Philippe Coutinho.
But Liverpool have reportedly moved ahead after agreeing a fee for the Brazil cap.
When Inter Milan signed the then-16-year-old in 2008 for €4million, Coutinho was heralded as one to watch for the future.
So what could he bring to Anfield if a €10 million transfer were to go through?
The young Brazilian may have signed for the Serie A giants at the age of 16 but he did not join up with the Inter squad until his 18th birthday.
In the meantime he remained at Rio De Janeiro giants Vasco Da Gama where he established himself in the first-team and helped the club gain promotion back to the Brazilian top tier.
When he finally arrived on Italian soil in 2010, it was a transitional period for Inter as Rafael Benitez began his soon-to-be short reign at the San Siro.
With all the managerial changes at Inter, Coutinho has been a relatively marginal figure for the Nerazurri, making 21 league appearances in two years, although he has shown occasional flashes of brilliance when he has been given the opportunity.
But it is easy to forget that he is only 20-years-old and to give him some much needed experience and game-time, Inter sent him out on loan to La Liga side Espanyol in January 2012. And that six month spell has proved a key part of Coutinho’s development.
During his loan spell, the Barcelona-based side was managed by new Southampton coach Mauricio Pocchettino. So it is no surprise that the Argentine coach is keen to bring to St Mary’s having seen him at close quarters.
Coutinho was a revelation for a struggling Espanyol side, netting five times and providing one assist in 16 appearances.
Coutinho had also starred alongside Chelsea’s Oscar as Brazil won the U-20 World Cup in 2011, scoring three times.
The 20-year-old has impressive attributes that Pocchettino and Liverpool’s scouts will be well aware of. He is pacey, a good dribbler with an array of tricks and also has a penchant for scoring spectacular goals. He is also versatile, capable of playing on either wing and just behind the striker.
Despite those strengths, he has weaknesses including his crossing and his decision-making when it comes to choosing between passing to a team-mate or going on a solo run.
But based on his potential, why would Inter want to offload him?
Although Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni has lauded the youngster and would ideally like to keep him at the San Siro, Coutinho does not suit the Nerazurri’s current 3-5-2 system and he also faces stiff competition for a starting place with Antonio Cassano and Rodrigo Palacio ahead of him in the pecking order.
