Liverpool academy boss John Owens hopes to win the commitment of several youngsters ahead of rival clubs in the region this week.

He told liverpoolfc.tv: "The way the system works, is that you can start to sign players once they enter the under nine year age range. Before that, they come in and have games and practices but they aren't registered with any one club so they can go around the likes of Everton and Manchester United and see which one they prefer.

"We've identified 14 under eight players that we are hoping to sign for next season and they came along with their parents to commit to Liverpool yesterday. As a treat and a way of welcoming them into our Liverpool family, they will also be taken on a trip down to London.

"We will play Chelsea on this morning and in the afternoon we will watch the first-team take on Fulham. On the way back home on Sunday morning we will finish off with a game against Wolves."