Talented Everton midfielder Isaac Price is closing in on a move to Belgium.
The teenager is in talks over a pre-contract with Pro League side Standard Liege as his Blues deal nears its end. The 19-year-old has been with the club since the age of seven and made his Premier League debut at Arsenal last season.
But opportunities have been limited for the Northern Ireland international, who is understood to be keen to test himself at senior club level.
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Liege are favourites for Price’s signature after emerging from a pack of clubs across Europe and in the Championship that have been tracking the youngster. Everton would be in line for compensation should a deal be confirmed.
Scottish giants Rangers and Celtic were among those interested Price, the latter having come up against him in Australia in November. Everton defeated Celtic on penalties in the Sydney Super Cup and then Blues boss Frank Lampard hailed Price as the best player on the pitch after he took advantage of a chance sparked by injuries to Tom Davies and James Garner and the international commitments of Alex Iwobi, Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye.
He impressed again in the win over Western Sydney Wanderers leading Lampard, who gave him his Everton debut in the FA Cup win over Boreham Wood last year, to declare he was challenging for the first team. He said: "I thought Isaac was great. He's had a great trip. He has matured a lot and he has deserved to play because of the way he has trained and the way he has played for the Under-21s, so he's thrown himself into the equation for the first team now."
Price continued to train with the first team after the return from Australia and Lampard brought him on as a substitute in the defeat to Brighton in January. But while he made his senior debut for Northern Ireland last month he has not been named in an Everton matchday squad since the appointment of Sean Dyche.
Everton have been keen to secure his future but he is hoping to challenge himself at first team level. Liege are currently sixth in the Belgian top flight, where Fergal Harkin is sporting director. Harkin was formerly Football Partnerships and Pathways Manager at Manchester City.
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