Ajax Beat Liverpool and Manchester City to Wonderkid Richairo Zivkovic – Report

Liverpool and Manchester City's hopes of luring Groningen starlet Richairo Zivkovic to the Premier League have been extinguished after the Groningen wonderkid opted for Ajax.

The young striker, who has been compared to Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben, is considered one of the rising stars of European football and can play anywhere across the front three.

According to Groningen's official website, the Dutch giants have agreed a deal to sign the teenager at the end of the season on a three-year contract.

Groningen, the same club that brought Luis Suarez to Europe in 2006, will receive a reported £2.1m as well as 10% of any future transfer fee.

The Amsterdam club had to move quickly to sign the starlet as he has attracted a string of suitors across the Continent since bursting on to the scene at Groningen last season.

Zivkovic has been linked with the likes of Barcelona and Liverpool, as well as City more recently.

However he has decided to remain in the Eredivisie and will link up with Frank de Boer's Ajax side at the end of the season - having made clear his commitment to his current club, and "promises" that this contract will not affect his performance for the rest of the season.

"Initially, it was the intention to stay at Groningen for a longer period and become a regular member of the starting XI in the first team," Zivkovic told Groningen's official website.

"But I also have ambitions and, when this chance came, I wanted to take it.

"But before I will talk about Ajax, I first want to finish the season at FC Groningen in a good way."

The Holland Under-19 international has played 23 league matches and scored six goals in his second season in the first team at Euroborg.