Liverpool Deny Claims a Minor's Dad Was Told to Lie Amid Tapping-Up Allegations

Liverpool are reported to have denied suggestions the club encouraged the father of an 11-year-old footballer they were trying to sign to lie in an attempt to avoid punishment for breaking Premier League regulations.

In an exclusive for the Daily Telegraph, Ben Rumsby outlined the team's alleged pursuit of the player and the subsequent fallout, suggesting the family of the youngster, now 13, have provided information about the saga.

It's stated during an investigation into the Reds' conduct "that two representatives of the club told the boy's father last September not to disclose the tapping-up or inducements when interviewed by a lawyer acting on behalf of the Premier League."

As noted in the report, the Reds have denied that was the case.

Per Rumsby, the Merseyside giants were hit with a minimum 12-month ban from signing academy players that have been at another Football League club in the previous 18 months and a £100,000 fine after it was suggested inducements were offered to the former Stoke City schoolboy.

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It means the Reds will not be able to complete deals comparable to the one that saw them acquire Raheem Sterling, now of Manchester City, from Queens Park Rangers in 2010. 

It's suggested in the piece that Liverpool's chase for the player "left the youngster’s parents in thousands of pounds of debt and the boy—now 13—unable to join another academy until former club Stoke are paid £49,000."

According to Rumsby, the boy's family were offered a string of inducements to make the switch, including "all-expenses-paid trips to tournaments in Paris and Denmark, £50 cash in hand every time the boy went for training at their academy, and even money to help his father replace a faulty car exhaust."

A recording of a meeting between the boy's family members and Liverpool's academy director Alex Inglethorpe and head of academy football operations Nick Marshall was also reportedly released to the Daily Telegraph; Rumbsy made it clear the pair are not representatives accused of encouraging the family to lie.

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It's noted the club told the eldest son of the family they were happy to pay a £5,000 debt accrued for the youngster's school fees, although not while there was a complaint issued against the club with the Premier League. 

"Do you think we’re bothered about five grand?" Inglethorpe is reported to have said. "For God's sake, I would happily write you a cheque now for it. Happily." When asked what would happen if the complaint was pulled, Inglethorpe is said to have told the eldest son "it changes things."

It's noted the family are now pursuing legal action against Liverpool, while Stoke are seeking compensation from the Premier League.