Liverpool are due to sign Northern Irish striker Michael Mulholland in a deal which will become active in 2027, and before then he is set for first-team football.
Mulholland is one of a number of high-potential youngsters who are set to complete transfers to Liverpool this summer – but his switch is not expected until 2027.
With the striker still only 15, it is believed he will be ineligible to leave Northern Ireland until he turns 16 in January next year.
Until then, he will remain with Belfast-based side Crusaders, who have announced his promotion to the first-team setup this summer.
Mulholland will wear the No. 20 in the new NIFL Premiership campaign, as part of a 28-man squad for the upcoming season.
With pre-season already underway he could even feature in their opening friendly against Queen of the South on Saturday, July 4.
A regular for Crusaders U18s throughout the season just gone, Mulholland is a prolific striker who once scored 256 goals in a single campaign at youth level.
He has recently been capped at both U16s and U17s level with Northern Ireland and earned his move to Liverpool following a successful trial with their U16s.
His eventual move to Merseyside could see him replace Vincent Joseph in the U18s squad, with Joseph not among those announced in this summer’s scholarship intake.
Instead, the 16-year-old is on course to depart, with Man United interested in acquiring his services in what would effectively be a free transfer.
Which other youngsters are Liverpool signing this summer?
Liverpool have also lined up deals for 16-year-old Celtic centre-back Dara Jikiemi and 17-year-old Atletico Nacional attacking midfielder Samuel Martinez.
Like Mulholland, Martinez is unable to officially join until next year, with the teenager only permitted to swap Colombia for England when he turns 18.
Goalkeeper Zach Trinder, 14, is expected to arrive from Wolves having deregistered from their youth ranks, while there is further interest in Everton winger Josh Chigwada, 14, and Man City midfielder Xavier Parker, 16.
Another 14-year-old, forward Joshua Holme, is a player of interest having recently departed Shamrock Rovers, with Liverpool among the sides hoping to land the cousin of current U18s midfielder Haydn Murray-Holme.
Blackburn’s Salford-born attacker midfielder Ty Livesey, 15, is another player linked with a switch to Anfield, though Man United and Man City are also tracking him.