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Liverpool’s ambitions to secure a bright prospect from the Championship has encountered complications. The Anfield club has made little secret of their ambitions to secure the best young talent in and around the country.
The strategy has already yielded impressive results, with exciting prospects like Rio Ngumoha and Will Wright arriving at Kirkby over the past 18 months. Ngumoha made the decision to leave Chelsea’s academy in September 2024, attracted by Liverpool’s proven pathway to first-team football.
The choice has already paid dividends, with the winger becoming the youngest goalscorer in club history after netting a dramatic 100th-minute winner on his Premier League debut against Newcastle earlier this season. Meanwhile, striker Will Wright joined from Salford City in August after Liverpool beat Arsenal to his signature in a deal worth £200,000 plus add-ons.
But the chase for Sheffield Wednesday’s Yisa Alao has seemingly hit a speedbump. The Reds submitted a bid in the mid-level six-figure range in December for the 17-year-old left-back, positioning themselves in direct competition with Manchester United who reportedly also tabled an offer.
The Doncaster-born defender has already made three senior appearances for the Owls despite being just 17, featuring in EFL Cup ties and making his Championship debut against Derby County in December.
However, the transfer has stalled due to Sheffield Wednesday’s insistence on securing Alao’s signature on professional terms first, according to the Sheffield Star. The teenager remains on a scholarship deal, having only signed his first scholarship in May 2025.
The club’s administration has complicated matters – the Owls currently sit bottom of the Championship on minus-nine points after severe financial breaches – but Wednesday are prioritizing contract negotiations with their academy jewel before considering any sale.
Without professional terms agreed, any Premier League suitor could theoretically bypass Wednesday entirely and offer the player a deal directly, though compensation would still be required through the Professional Football Compensation Committee.
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