Borussia Monchengladbach have admitted their interest in Australian teenager Jacob Italiano but expect FIFA's international transfer regulations to prevent a move immediately.
Italiano, 16, is on the Bundesliga club's radar following a string of promising performances for A-League outfit Perth Glory.
The attacking midfielder debuted in October and has already made five starts in his maiden senior season, impressing with his creativity and dribbling ability.
Gladbach's director of sport Max Eberl revealed he is "very interested" in signing Italiano despite conceding a transfer will be difficult to force through.
"The player is only 16 years old. So we should not commit to him yet," Eberl told a news conference ahead of Wednesday's DFB-Pokal clash against Bayer Leverkusen.
FIFA regulations prevent players younger than 18 from moving abroad unless they are eligible under specific exceptions, none of which Italiano appears to meet.
A report by Perth's Sunday Times has claimed the player will join Gladbach when he turns 18 in July, 2019.
: "We're familiar with Jacob Italiano and are very interested in him, but he's only 16 - we're not allowed to sign him yet anyway." December 19, 2017
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