Liverpool are set to lose highly-rated Rafael Camacho as Sporting Lisbon appear to have won the race for his signature, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.
The 19-year-old's future has been the subject of speculation after he turned down the opportunity to sign a new contract with the Champions League winners.
The newspaper claim Sporting were keen to sign Camacho back in January but Jurgen Klopp's promise of first team football was enough to keep the Portugal Under-18 international on Merseyside.
A number of clubs were keen on the attacker, as revealed in the Birmingham Live, with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Borussia Dortmund and S.L Benfica among those interested.
Why didn't it work out at Liverpool?
After joining the club from Manchester City in 2016, Camacho progressed through the ranks and made his first team debut in the Reds’ FA Cup defeat to Wolves in January.
He also came on as a late substitute in Liverpool’s dramatic 4-3 victory over Crystal Palace later that month.
But it appears the forward was unsatisfied with his first-team opportunities, despite training regularly at Melwood, as he was largely restricted to Premier League 2 fixtures.
There has also been speculation over his relationship with Jurgen Klopp after he appeared to hit out at coaching staff following the U23’s 6-0 win over Leicester in April.
He posted on Instagram: “I do not know whose idea it is, but I will prove that they are mistaken about my football.
“I am not a right defender, I’m an attacker who scores goals. This is my DNA.”
The youngster did deny such claims and went on to post a photo with the Liverpool boss, stating his gratitude for Klopp is “eternal” and that he was simply “answering a friend who challenged me.”
But, both his senior appearances for the Reds came at full-back and his obvious frustration with being played in that position is likely to have contributed to his desire to leave the club.