Liverpool and Manchester United Target Martin Odegaard Likened to Xavi and Iniesta

Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard became the youngest player to participate in a European competition when he came on as a substitute in Norway's 2-1 win over Bulgaria.

Liverpool and Manchester United are in the race to sign the prodigy, according to the Daily Express, but face competition from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich for his signature. Odegaard has emerged as the hottest property in world football and has been tipped to be one of the greatest in the game as he realises his potential.

Scandinavian football expert and scout Fabrizio Bertuzzi believes that whoever gets him will have possession of one of the best prospects in world football, someone who constitutes the best of Xavi and Andres Iniesta in his repertoire.

"Odegaard is an interesting player in a highly respected team (Stromsgodset)," Bertuzzi told tuttomercatoweb.

"He is a talented and creative midfielder but he has impressive maturity. He attacks down the left but can also play on the right or in the centre. I saw a similar maturity in Paul Pogba but he was 17 at the time, not 15.

"I am not surprised Barcelona are interested. He features a mix of both Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Despite being an adolescent he is almost a semi-god of football," he added.

United have spent more than £150m this season on transfers as they look to move back into the Champions League but Louis van Gaal is still open to giving youth a chance, with the Dutchman persisting with an inexperienced pair in the centre of defence.

Adnan Janujaz, who came to the fore under David Moyes last year, is also being used as an option, in spite of the plethora of riches at his disposal.

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers has proved that he is ready to give youth a chance should they prove themselves in the ultimate stage, as we have witnessed with Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen.

However, it will be an uphill task for either club to beat the Spanish and German giants to the 15-year-old's signature, given their reputation and capacity to spend.