Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign one of the most coveted young talents in South American football, as confirmed by the club on Tuesday afternoon.
Scouts from the Merseyside giants had been keeping a close watch on Samuel Martinez of Colombia at the CONMEBOL under-17 championship in April, with his nation ultimately winning the tournament.
Both Fabrizio Romano and Florian Plettenberg had indicated the following month that a future move to Anfield seemed very likely to go through, and that has now been confirmed today.
As announced via liverpoolfc.com, LFC have agreed a deal to sign Martinez from Atletico Nacional in his homeland.
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder will remain in Colombia for one more season, with FIFA regulations prohibiting international transfers for minors, and he’ll link up with Liverpool’s academy ahead of the 2027/28 campaign.
Ian Doyle provided further details about the transaction for the Liverpool Echo, with the Reds agreeing a fee in the region of £750,000 for the teenager, who underwent medical tests on Merseyside last weekend and has signed a five-year contract with LFC.
Atletico Nacional will receive a percentage of any future sale of Martinez, and the Reds will have input about his development over the next 12 months before he relocates to the northwest of England.
Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Samuel Martinez from Atletico Nacional. 🔴✍️
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder will join the Reds' Academy ranks ahead of the 2027-28 season, after a move to bring him to the club was completed. 🔗 https://t.co/SoQtjFY7Bw pic.twitter.com/PzTi4kVsU5
— The LFC Academy (@LFCAcademyX) July 21, 2026
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Considering that Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund had also reportedly been courting the Colombian playmaker (Liverpool Echo), it represents a tremendous coup for Liverpool to snap him up, especially for such a modest sum.
Felipe Cardenas noted for The Athletic that the 17-year-old’s ‘lanky frame, upright style of running and deceptive speed in short bursts’ are reminiscent of Brazil legend Kaka, which is certainly a glowing comparison to receive at such a young age.
Martinez is yet to make his first-team debut for Atletico Nacional, but that may well come over the next few months prior to his move to Merseyside, in the hope that he’ll arrive here with some invaluable senior experience under his belt.
His first steps at Liverpool will be taken in the academy ranks, so it could be another couple of years before we see him in the first team, although he might possibly be fast-tracked if he performs exceptionally well for the under-21s.
In Andoni Iraola, the Reds have a head coach with a track record for trusting in youth and giving up-and-coming talents a platform on which to shine, which suggests that the Colombian starlet has chosen the perfect club to join.
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