Liverpool are set to make Tony Gallacher their second January signing.
Gallacher spent a week on trial at the Reds’ training grond and is set to join the club’s under-23 side after a deal was agreed with Falkirk this week.
Swansea City had emerged as the favourites to sign the 18-year-old, who has made 26 senior appearances for the Scottish Championship outfit.
Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid were also linked with Gallacher in the past 12 months, but Anfield chiefs moved quickly to secure his services.
A deal for the left-back is understood to be worth in the region of £200,000 on the back of his impressive Melwood audition last week.
Gallacher will work with Liverpool’s U23 coach Neil Critchley at their Kirkby centre of excellence as they look to develop him for a future senior role.
He is the second defender to move to Merseyside in this transfer window, following Virgil van Dijk’s record £75 million arrival from Southampton.