Bayern Munich attempted to hijack Sepp van den Berg’s move to Liverpool while the Dutch teenager was undergoing a medical on Merseyside.

Officials from the German champions made a series of increasingly frantic telephone calls to the player’s representatives yesterday in a late bid to derail a move to Anfield which is worth an initial £1.3 million.

Liverpool confirmed the signing of the 17-year-old centre back from the Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle today and could eventually pay £4.4 million should he become a first-team regular. All of the add-ons are linked to appearances in the Premier League and Europe.

The interest from Bayern, who were eager to speak to the player and his family and persuade them to ditch Liverpool and come to Bavaria instead,