Liverpool are being linked
with Crewe Alexandra youngster Max Clayton.
The Daily Mail says Liverpool were dragged into the poaching row
engulfing the Barclays Premier
League, following claims from Crewe director of
football Dario Gradi that a Premier
League club had made an illegal approach for one of
his academy players, believed to be Clayton, 15.
Gradi said: "He is an outstanding player by any standards and he
has come in and told us that he wants to leave right now to join a
big club.
"The big clubs are stealing other people’s players and you worry
financially for the clubs where the players are stolen from. It’s
so hard to protect your players. All this goes against the morality
of the game — it’s the rich robbing the poor."
Crewe have not lodged a complaint with the FA and are reluctant
to name Liverpool for fear of
damaging the relationship between the clubs.
Liverpool declined to comment
and it is still far from certain the player will move clubs.