CHELSEA and Liverpool are engaged in a fierce battle to land German starlet Julian Brandt.

Brandt impressed at the European Under-19 Championships in Hungary over the summer, where Liverpool scouts were first alerted to the youngster's prodigious talent.

And reports suggest that Brendan Rodgers has personally followed up on initial reports by going to watch Brandt in action this season.

The Reds are not alone in tracking the 18-year-old however, with Chelsea also long-term admirers of the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder.

Brandt continues to catch the eye with mature performances in the Bundesliga having broken through at the BayArena last season.

Indeed, the former Wolfsburg man is considered one of the brightest prospects to come out of his homeland in recent times, with former coach Mike Schussler saying: "He has a style of play that proves he can take the next step."

It now remains to be seen whether Chelsea or Liverpool are able to persuade Brandt to make a switch to the Premier League in the near future despite the player having five years left on his current deal with Leverkusen.

Source: Daily Express