Portsmouth have beaten off competition from Arsenal and Aston Villa to sign teenage goalkeeper Liam O'Brien from Queens Park Rangers.

The highly-rated custodian has joined Pompey for an undisclosed fee and he has agreed a two-year scholarship which will start next season.

Pompey's director of youth operations Paul Hart believes O'Brien will develop at Fratton Park.

"We watched him an awful lot for QPR and were impressed," Hart told the club's official website.

"In the present climate there are few decent young English goalkeepers, but for a young boy Liam is mature and confident.

"We've beaten off Arsenal and Aston Villa to get him, which shows where we're aiming to be.

"He was particularly attracted to the idea of coming to Pompey with Harry Redknapp, David James and goalkeeping coach David Coles.

"It appealed to him that he would have a great mentor in David James."

Meanwhile, QPR have added former Manchester United goalkeeping coach David Rouse to their backroom staff.

The 31-year-old spent eight years at Old Trafford working primarily with the club's academy goalkeepers. Since leaving Old Trafford two years ago, he has also worked with keepers at Macclesfield, Rochdale and Wigan.

Team Talk / Eurosport