Liverpool have reportedly joined Arsenal, and a host of other European clubs, in the race to sign Spartak Moscow's Gerogian wonderkid Zhano Ananidze - dubbed the 'new Georgi Kinkladze'.

The 17-year-old playmaker has been a revelation since breaking into the Spartak first-team this season and he became the youngest player to score in the Russian Premier League when netting against Lokomotiv Moscow earlier this month.

Despite his inexperience, the 5ft 6in schemer has already been capped Georgia, playing 90 minutes in the World Cup qualifying defeat by Italy last month to become the country's youngest international.

Unsurprisingly, Ananidze's progress and impressive displays have attracted the attention of some of Europe's finest, with the Gunners, Sevilla, Juventus and AC Milan all said to be closely monitoring his progress at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is the latest to be made aware of Ananidze's exceptional talent, but Spartak sporting director Dmitri Popov insists the club will not listen to offers till Ananidze is at least in his 20s.

"I read the stories," said Popov is quoted as saying in the Daily Mail. "The list of clubs did not surprise me, especially the first two: they are built on continually searching for new talent.

"But Spartak haven't received formal offers and we don't intend to consider them for the next three or four years."