Wolves on the trail of Preston ace Adam Barton

Wolves could be set to battle Liverpool over a summer swoop for £1m-rated Preston midfielder Adam Barton.

Manager Mick McCarthy made the latest Wolves check on the highly-rated 19-year-old in North End's 2-1 defeat at Reading.

But Liverpool are also in the hunt, with Reds assistant manager Sammy Lee seen at Deepdale several times this season. Preston-born Barton is described as a ball-playing midfielder who likes to get forward.,

He has made 32 appearances for Preston this season, including 23 Championship starts in what is his first full campaign in senior football. Barton made his League debut a year ago for Preston in a 3-2 win over Scunthorpe.

McCarthy and his staff were quickly alerted to the teenager, who qualifies for both Irish nations through his grandparents. And since then the Wolves chief and his staff have watched several of Preston's games.

Barton has already played a friendly for Northern Ireland Under-21s and represented the Republic in the same age group last week.

But he has been told by Deepdale boss Phil Brown to keep his international options open as England could also come calling.