Report: How much might Liverpool pay for Rio Ngumoha as Chelsea could point to 2019 precedent
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Chelsea and Liverpool are engaged in a continuing legal dispute over the transfer of 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who moved from Chelsea’s academy to Liverpool in July 2024. Despite Ngumoha's breakthrough into Liverpool’s senior squad and scoring a last-minute Premier League winner against Newcastle United, no compensation fee has yet been agreed between the two clubs, leading to a tribunal to determine the amount Liverpool must pay to Chelsea.
Chelsea is reportedly demanding a high compensation fee, aiming to deter rival clubs from targeting their youth academy players. The fee will be decided by a Premier League compensation committee, which often sets fees for transfers involving “Category 1” academies under league rules. Chelsea plans to use Ngumoha’s recent achievements, including his Premier League goal, to justify a larger fee, although Liverpool might argue that developments after the transfer should not affect the compensation amount.
This dispute is part of a broader rivalry between top English clubs for youth talent, highlighted by previous contentious moves such as Dominic Solanke's switch to Liverpool and Chelsea's attempts to sign Liverpool stars like Virgil van Dijk and Steven Gerrard. The ongoing conflict also led Chelsea to ban Liverpool scouts from attending their academy matches after losing Ngumoha.
Reports mention possible fees ranging from a “mere six-figure sum” to £2 million or more, but no official figure has been settled. The tribunal’s decision remains pending nearly a year after Ngumoha’s transfer, and both clubs remain locked in disagreement over the appropriate compensation amount for the promising teenager.
PP