Kenny Dalglish
Liverpool manager Kenny Daglish Reuters

Liverpool have completed the signing of highly-rated Sporting Lisbon youngster Joao Carlos Teixeira.

The Portuguese midfielder will join the club's academy after the final details of his £850,000 transfer fee were agreed on Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old playmaker had been on Liverpool's radar since his impressive performance against them in the NextGen Series match at Anfield last August.

Teixeira, who has been likened to former Portugal international Deco, scored a stunning goal in the match and club scouts have kept tags on him ever since.

Liverpool took advantage of Sporting's current financial woes to land the youngster, who had yet to make a first-team appearance for the Portuguese side.

Teixeira joined Sporting at the age of 13 and represented the club all the way up to youth level.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have revealed they made no approach to sign Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe on Tuesday, despite reports the club had lined up an approach for the England international.

Defoe was left out of Tottenham's squad to face Wigan last night, amid speculation he was set to leave the clubs but Liverpool told ESPN the club never made a move for the striker.

"No, nothing in that, there is no bid for Jermain Defoe," a club official is quoted on ESPN.

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