Givemefootball.com: Tello a target

Liverpool and Arsenal are facing a transfer battle with AC Milan in the race to sign Barcelona starlet Cristian Tello, according to reports.

TalkSPORT cite Italian sources when claiming that the 21-year-old has emerged on the radar of the Serie 'A' giants, who hope to lure the player to Italy in January for £6.5 million.

The Spanish U23 international is out of contract at the Nou Camp in the summer, and despite opening negotiations over a new deal, an agreement is yet to be reached to keep the player with the Blaugrana.

Liverpool have again been mentioned alongside Tello recently, with talkSPORT reporting earlier in November that Brendan Rodgers could be in 'pole position' to sign the player because of Rodolfo Borrell's position at Anfield.

The same report claimed Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was eyeing the player, who Barca want to stay in Catalonia until 2016.

Were the youngster to move to the Emirates Stadium in the New Year, he'd be following in the footsteps of a number of other players, including ex-Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas and rising academy starlets Jon Toral and Hector Belerin.

The Reds aren't short of Spanish influence on Merseyside either, with Pepe Reina, Jose Enrique, Suso and Dani Pacheco all currently involved in first team activities at Liverpool. 

Source: Givemefootball.com