Liverpool forced to pay transfer fee to 'seething' Chelsea days after window closed

Liverpool has been ordered to pay a fee to Chelsea just days after the transfer window closed, with the Blues set to receive compensation for a transfer from 2024

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and FSG's CEO of football Michael Edwards(Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool has been ordered to pay Chelsea up to $9.2 million (£6.8M) for the signing of Rio Ngumoha following a tribunal.

Ngumoha made the move from Stamford Bridge to Anfield as a 16-year-old in September 2024, in a move that was said at the time to have left Chelsea “seething”. The winger has since gone on to sign his first professional contract with the Reds, having done so last summer.

The Blues were entitled to receive costs for the winger’s training and development as a result of the switch, with the amount having now been decided nearly 18 months later by a Professional Compensation Committee (PFCC) tribunal.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool must pay an initial fee of £2.8M ($3.79M), although that could rise by a further £4M ($5.4M).

The ruling states that Liverpool will owe Chelsea up to £6.8M once performance-related contingencies have been included, as well as 20 per cent of the profit should Ngumoha be sold in the future.

The settlement is non-negotiable, and the add-ons could be met by senior appearances and contracts, as well as any honors Ngumoha might achieve while representing his country.

Rio Ngumoha joined Liverpool from Chelsea in 2024(Image: Getty Images)

The teenager has made 14 first-team appearances since joining Liverpool, and he scored his first goal for the club earlier this season, having grabbed the winner against Newcastle back in August.

Ngumoha’s move to Anfield sparked a bitter feud between Liverpool and Chelsea. Reports at the time claimed that the Blues had been left “seething” that the Reds had nabbed one of their brightest prospects.

The situation was escalated when Chelsea was reported to have denied Liverpool scouts access to youth games, with Manchester United having also seen accreditation requests rejected after being linked with Ngumoha.

Even with Liverpool now being ordered to pay Chelsea, the Reds may well see amount as something of a bargain, given the expectations surrounding the youngster.

“I think he has the most minutes of all 17-year-olds in the Premier League. So that tells you how much playing time he gets, how special that already is for a 17-year-old,” Slot said earlier this season.

“That also tells you something about his quality, because it’s not completely normal for a 17-year-old already to have as much playing time as he had.”

After making his debut in the FA Cup last year, Slot said: “Every time when he comes training with us we see what his qualities are,” Slot said.

“He can dominate one-v-one situations, he is very quick on his feet, he can change directions really fast.

“I’m always happy if a player makes his debut that he shows what we see on the training ground as well, so the fans could see it.”