Liverpool have beaten Manchester United for Southend United prospect Michael Ngoo.

Ngoo trialled with United in preseason and turned out for the club's youth team.

However, The Times says Liverpool have sealed a £250,000 deal with Southend United for the transfer of Ngoo, a 16-year-old centre forward. ,p> Ngoo, who is 6ft 4in and has been likened in style to Peter Crouch, impressed during a recent trial with United but Liverpool have beaten their North West rivals to his signature after meeting Southend's asking price.

In a departure from the recent furore surrounding the transfers of a number of teenagers, the deal for Ngoo has not resulted in acrimony between Liverpool and Southend, with the Coca-Cola League One club praising their Barclays Premier League counterparts for the way negotiations were conducted.