Liverpool set to sign Chelsea's Dominic Solanke as Jurgen Klopp targets young English core

The youngster is set for an Anfield move but the fee will be set by a tribunal after the clubs failed to agree

Dominic Solanke will move to Anfield this summer (GETTY IMAGES)

Liverpool will sign young striker Dominic Solanke from Chelsea after the England Under-21 international decided there was no clear path to the first team at Stamford Bridge.

The 19-year-old has agreed terms on a long-term contract with the Anfield club after refusing to sign an extension to his Blues deal that expires this summer.

Michael Emenalo, Chelsea's sporting director, did try and re-sign Solanke which means the club are entitled to a tribunal fee, expected to be around £3m, as compensation for their years developing him in their academy.

Solanke is an England youth international but wants a path to senior football (2015 Getty Images)

But the Blues consider Tammy Abraham a superior prospect and know that Solanke was unlikely to ever break into their first team given both the strength of their squad and the plans Antonio Conte has made for the next few seasons.

Solanke has an impressive goalscoring record at youth level but didn't shine in his only senior campaign, on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, where he scored seven goals in 25 appearances. He will begin the campaign in Neil Critchley's Under-23s side at Liverpool but expects to push for a first-team place and feature in cup competitions.

Jurgen Klopp is keen to have a core of young, English talent running through his squad. It is why Liverpool have been making moves to sign Michael Keane, of Burnley, and Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer. Klopp already boasts a glut of young English players in his academy who are primed to break through as well as the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Adam Lallana to guide them.