Liverpool sign Charlton starlet Joe Gomez

The 18-year-old, who can play as a centre-back or right-back, has joined on a five-year deal.

According to reports, Liverpool have paid an initial £3.5 million for the defensive starlet, who currently represents the England U19 side.

Gomez was fast-tracked into Charlton's U18 side at the age of just 13 and was handed his Championship debut just past his 17th birthday.

He told Liverpoolfc.com: "It's a dream come true. It's a bit surreal and it hasn't really hit me yet. But I'm buzzing and just excited to get started.

"The club has got great history and it's a great club, and one that I've always been following from when I was young.

"The style of football and the top players here was somewhere that I wanted to go and get better and learn, and play good football. It was an easy decision."

Gomez has become Brendan Rodgers's fourth signing of the summer and is clearly an exciting prospect for the future at Anfield.

He follows midfielder James Milner, striker Danny Ings and goalkeeper Adam Bogdan in arriving in Merseyside.