Report: Liverpool among 5 teams targeting Brazilian teenager Maia

Liverpool is reportedly the fifth team to join the pursuit of Santos youngster Thiago Maia.

The Merseyside outfit faces competition from European clubs Zenit St. Petersburg, Napoli, AS Monaco, and Schalke for the right to secure the 19-year-old's services, sources revealed to ESPN Brazil's Leonardo Ferreira and Vladimir Bianchini.

To date, Zenit's reportedly the only club to have tabled a bid - an €18-million try that Santos has already rejected.

For now, Maia is letting his management team decide whether the time is right to orchestrate a move as he vacations after a long season in Brazil's top flight.

"I'm on vacations. It was a busy year, but very important for my career. I won a gold medal in the Olympics," Maia said, as translated by ESPNFC.

"In Santos we had a regular season, we won the Campeonato Paulista (regional championship) title and stayed in second place on Campeonato Brasileiro. Finally, now I want to take a rest and let the people who take care of my career and my club decide if it is the moment for a transfer.

"If I stay, the supporters can rest easy because I will repeat the good season, fight to win the Libertadores and be a champion."

The 19-year-old has represented Brazil at three different levels. His most notable appearance came at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he helped the hosts capture gold.

The defensive midfielder appeared in 21 matches in a season where Santos finished as runner-up to Palmeiras.