1 Martin Montoya [left]

Liverpool are preparing a pre-contract offer for Barcelona right-back Martin Montoya.

The 22-year-old’s contract is up at the end of the season, allowing him to speak to clubs outside of Spain from January.

Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich are both chasing the talented Spaniard but, according to reports in Germany, they are both about to be gazumped by Liverpool.

The Premier League side have held a long-standing interest in the defender, who has so far failed to oust Dani Alves from the Barca starting line-up.

And it now looks as though they are ready to make their move for Montoya, with his time in Catalonia seemingly close to an end.

It has been suggested that they are currently drawing up a pre-contract agreement in the hope that Montoya will commit his future to Liverpool early in the New Year.

But if Barcelona offer him a new deal at the club and he still decides to leave, his new club will have to pay compensation as he is under 24.