Liverpool are on the verge of completing the signing of Brazilian under-20 captain Lucas Pezzini, according to the player's club Gremio.

The 20-year-old central midfielder has been closely monitored by a number of European clubs including Manchester United and AC Milan, but Liverpool appear to have won the race.

"We did business very fast with Liverpool because there was a lot of interest," Gremio secretary Alfredo Oliveira told Brazil's Radio Bandeirantes.

"Lucas travelled to England to present himself and although there are a few little details to be resolved, I can say that the transfer has been arranged and that Lucas will join his new team once Gremio's participation in the Copa Libertadores ends."

Gremio are currently in the quarter-finals of the Cope Libertadores.

Lucas has already featured for Dunga's senior Brazilian side in a friendly and his arrival will put pressure on the likes of Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Mohammed Sissoko.

Liverpool winger Harry Kewell claims he is feeling fitter than ever after making his return to competitive football as a substitute in the defeat to Fulham last week.

The Australian is now pushing for a start against Charlton on Sunday two weeks ahead of the Champions League final against AC Milan in Athens.

"I've been working hard over the last eight weeks," Kewell told the official Liverpool site. "We did testing the other day, everything went well. The manager's happy, the assistant manager's happy, the fitness coaches are happy, so it's literally down to the manager.
 
"I'm feeling as close to 100 per cent as I've ever felt before in my life, the only thing I'm missing is competitive games."

Kewell surprisingly started the 2005 final against Milan after returning from injury but only lasted 11 minutes before having to come off injured again.

His recuperation this time round would cap a remarkable return that will see him feature in two Champions League finals among a handful of games over two years.