Liverpool take step towards brilliant Argentine playmaker

Liverpool have reportedly made their first moves towards a massive prospect from Argentina. Keep an eye on this one.

Liverpool are plainly trying to snap up the best youngsters from South America where they can. The Reds completed a deal for Samuel Martinez this summer, one of the biggest prospects in Colombia.

And we've seen they try (and largely fail) to do the same with Brazil's star talents over the last few years. Now they've got their eyes on an Argentinian prospect - one who could be among the best to come out of the country right now.

That's according to Sport Witness, who claim Liverpool are eyeing 16-year-old Thiago Veron. The player, who is at Independiente typically plays as an attacking midfield but can also play on the wing.

Now, Veron is very young and unproven at this stage. The report is clear to get across that Liverpool aren't pushing to sign the teenager just yet, nor have they started any negotiations with anyone.

But he's on their radar and the first steps have been made to get him tracked. They'll keep an eye on him before potentially making a move once he's closer to. 18.

After all, Liverpool can't actually bring him to the club until he reaches that age. This is a long process and one that requires patience, as well as a lot of luck. As with all elite talents, other clubs will look to get involved if Veron develops the way the Reds think he will.

The best way to sign these players, then, is to get the initial work out of the way quickly. Get that done and it'll take other clubs time to catch up and make a decision. Liverpool are certainly getting in early here.

Though, it's interesting that Veron plays the same role as Martinez. They're close in age and would surely clash with one another - but perhaps that's just a signal of how much of a lottery these kinds of deals are.

Banking on one player for a position is foolish, really. Instead, stockpiling youngsters with big potential is undoubtedly the best way to end up with first-team talent down the line. Martinz and Veron, then, may well find themselves battling for a red shirt one day.

Let's see how things develop.