Liverpool slapped with £41m price tag for Schalke starlet

Liverpool have been dented in their pursuit of one of Schalke's upcoming stars, according to German sports newspaper Bild.

17-year-old German wonderkid Donis Avdijaj dubbed " The New Mesut Ozil" has caught the eye of a host of top European clubs this season.

However, the Reds manager Brendan Rodgers is set to fail in the race for the player's signature after the Bundesliga side secretly extended the player's contract, thereby increasing his release clause to £41m.

Rodgers is known for bringing young talents into the first-team since his arrival at the Reds, with Philippe Coutinho being one of the youngsters proving a point with the Merseyside club.