Liverpool lead race to sign Barcelona youngster Sergi Samper

Liverpool look set to beat Arsenal in the race to sign young Barcelona midfielder Sergi Samper who has been dubbed as the "new Andrea Pirlo", reports the Metro.

Arsenal have been keeping tabs on the 20-year-old for a long time and the Mirror reported that the Gunners were pondering a move for Samper last summer.

However, the pass-master, who hasn't made an appearance in La Liga yet this year, now looks set to go to Liverpool at the end of the season with rumours in Metro suggesting that Brendan Rodgers has now jumped ahead of Arsenal in the queue for the Spaniard's signature.

The newspaper reports that the lack of first team opportunities at Camp Nou will push Samper out of the Catalan club and with a £9.6 million release fee then it could well be that he's lining up in a red shirt at Anfield next season.

Liverpool have had a somewhat indifferent season this year and look set to miss out on Champions League football, however, Rodgers will know that an FA Cup could change the view that many of the fans have of the campaign.

Firstly the Reds will have to get past Tim Sherwood's revived Aston Villa before taking on either current holders Arsenal or Championship side Reading.

In his one Champions League appearance Sergi Samper had a 93% pass accuracy.