EVERTON and Saints are reportedly in a row over the compensation fee required for young full-back Thierry Small.

The 17-year-old wonderkid signed professional terms with Saints this summer after rejecting a deal at Goodison Park.

The transfer is already complete and Small is a Saints player, but for players of such an age a compensation fee must be paid to the losing club and the cost of that fee is decided by a tribunal if clubs cannot come to an agreement.

Football Insider are reporting that Saints offered a £1.5million compensation package but that is falling short of the Toffees’ expectations – who want more like £5million.

The two clubs are reportedly warring over the youngster, who became the youngest player to ever represent Everton when he was awarded an FA Cup debut by Carlo Ancelotti in January, aged 16.

Now that he has signed a three-year deal with the south coast side, if the two clubs don’t agree the fee will be decided by a tribunal at a later date.

The fees involved are stipulated in order to cover development costs and prevent sides poaching players after years of effort have been spent teaching and improving them, without any cost to the receiving club.