Liverpool have confirmed their deal worth around £2.6 million with Austria Vienna to sign centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe in the summer transfer window.
Ndukwe is unable to join this month as he does not turn 18 until March, with FIFA rules blocking overseas transfers for players aged 17 or below.
That means he is expected to join Rob Page’s U21s squad for pre-season in July, with Liverpool announcing a deal in principle with Austria Vienna on Monday night.
Per Sky Sport Austria this was negotiated as a purchase option worth €3 million (£2.6m) plus bonuses, with a financial penalty of €1 million (£870,000) if they do not complete the transfer.
There is little chance of Ndukwe not becoming a Liverpool player however, with the 6’5″ centre-back, his family and representatives from the More Than Sport agency posing for photographs at the AXA Training Centre ahead of his move.
Liverpool’s New Centre-Back Signings Profiled: Ndiaye, Ndukwe & Adekoya
Metric Talla Ndiaye Ifeanyi Ndukwe Noah Adekoya
Age 18 (Jan 6, 2008) 17 (Mar 3, 2008) 19 (Nov 22, 2006)
Birthplace Senegal Vienna, Austria Liverpool, England
Nationality Senegalese Austrian, Russian, Nigerian English, Nigerian
Signed From Amitie FC Austria Vienna Burnley
Position Centre-Back (Left) Centre-Back (Right) Centre-Back (Either)
Height 188cm (6’2″) 198cm (6’5″) 193cm (6’3″)
Style of Play Composed, Ball-playing Front-Footed, Quick Recovery Aggressive, Ball-carrier
Transfer Fee £1m €3m (£2.6m) Undisclosed
* Consolidated scout report data as of January 2026.
This deal follows the signings of two more young centre-backs in Mor Talla Ndiaye, 18, and Noah Adekoya, 19, from Amitie FC and Burnley respectively.
All three players are considered additions to the academy, rather than direct first-team signings, though clearly there will be a pathway to the senior setup if they progress as hoped.
Ndiaye and Adekoya are yet to feature for Page’s U21s, with the Senegal U18 international currently recovering from a minor fitness issue and the Scouser still settling into his new surroundings.
But they are likely to play an important role in the second half of the season, with 20-year-old Wellity Lucky facing two months out with a hamstring injury.
3D82X07 Doha, Qatar. 27th Nov, 2025. Tomas Soares (L) of Portugal vies with Ifeanyi Arthur Ndukwe of Austria during the final match between Portugal and Austria at the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025 in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 27, 2025. Portugal won 1-0. Credit: Nikku/Xinhua/Alamy Live News
Ndukwe is an aggressive, front-footed defender who prefers operating on the right side of a centre-back pairing, with his height, strong passing range and recovery pace drawing early comparisons to Virgil van Dijk.
He was part of the Austria squad to reach the final of last year’s U17 World Cup, with Liverpool’s director of global talent Matt Newberry central to the signings of both him and Ndiaye after they excelled at the tournament.
“[This] is a dream come true for me,” Ndukwe said after securing his move to Liverpool.
“I would like to sincerely thank my family, Austria Vienna and my agency, More than Sport. Everyone has supported and prepared me for this moment.
“Now I want to compete against the best in the world.”