A host of elite Premier League clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United, are keeping tabs on Preston prodigy Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile.
Rodriguez-Gentile, 16, made headlines earlier this month when he plundered five goals in the Lilywhites' thumping 6-1 win over Rotherham United in the FA Youth Cup.
The highly-rated striker, who only joined Preston last October, has already pre-agreed a two-year scholarship at Deepdale which will begin in the summer - but that hasn't prevented a clutch of top-flight clubs from making checks on the talented teenager.
Mirror Football understands that Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City are all tracking Rodriguez-Gentile following his remarkable haul. Newcastle and Tottenham are also admirers of the youngster, who has been in red-hot form for Preston's U18 team this season.
The Argentinian forward, who has dual nationality after being born in Brazil and also holds a Spanish passport, has notched 18 goals in his last 10 games - a haul that includes no less than four separate hat-tricks.
With Rodriguez-Gentile already signed up for a scholarship, Preston are in a strong position when it comes to the youngster, who only turned 16 in October. The Lilywhites have given four academy prospects their professional debuts this term.
Preston boss Ryan Lowe has hinted that the club already have plans to integrate the forward into the senior ranks in the near future - but stressed the importance of not hyping the youngster, who is still in school, up too much.
Speaking after Rodriguez-Gentile's blockbuster performance against Rotherham, Lowe told Lancs Live: "He is a good little player, isn't he? He's got some good attributes, but again, he is 16 and we've got to be careful.
"People probably want to get him in the squad; he will come up and train with us in some capacity very soon - when he's off school! It's mad, isn't it?
"But he is a fantastic talent and one we have to keep tabs on, which we are, of course. We get reports on all of the kids when they're performing. Again, we can't get too carried away with him and we've got to play him down a bit, but he looks like an exciting prospect for us."
Preston have made a fine start to the season and are currently seventh in the Championship standings, with goal difference alone keeping them out of the top six ahead of their Boxing Day clash with Huddersfield.
