Dele Alli
Dele Alli (right) is expected to move to Liverpool FC Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Liverpool have reportedly won the race to sign MK Dons star Dele Alli ahead of Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea.

According to the Express, the Reds are close to agreeing a £9m fee for the youngster, who has starred for the League One club this season.

Brendan Rodgers has been tracking the young midfielder for some time now and has made signing him a priority.

He was aware of the interest from Premier League rivals Spurs, with Arsenal and Manchester United also having received extensive scouting reports of the England U19 international.

However, the Anfield club have the edge when it comes to signing the youngster as he is a Liverpool fan.

It is believed that Liverpool have agreed a fee of around £9m including add-ons and want to complete the deal as soon as the January transfer window opens. The report also claims that the Reds are willing to loan the player back to Dons for the remainder of the season.

Alli has been in impressive form for club and country this season, after playing a stellar role in MK Dons' defeat of United in the Capital One Cup. And recently he played an important role in the U19's win over Belarus as well.

The 18-year-old midfielder, who has been christened the "English Messi" only recently signed a new contract with the club, but manager Karl Robinson is sure that they will be powerless to stop the youngster from leaving once a big club makes an approach.

"It's inevitable that there will be a time when we will have to let him go, whether that be in January, next summer or whenever," Robinson said, as quoted in the Express.