A tribunal was needed to determine the amount Chelsea were owed for aiding Rio Ngumoha's development after he left the Blues' academy to join Liverpool
21:03, 05 Feb 2026
Rio Ngumoha celebrates at full-time following the team's victory in the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James' Park.
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Rio Ngumoha has been at the centre of a bitter transfer dispute(Image: George Wood, Getty Images)
Liverpool have been instructed to hand over £2.8million to Chelsea following a tribunal's ruling on the acquisition of Rio Ngumoha.
The 17-year-old striker moved to Liverpool in September 2024 after departing Chelsea's youth setup, triggering the Blues' right to compensation.
Chelsea were said to be incandescent when Ngumoha opted for Liverpool, having recognised his exceptional ability and tabled multiple contract proposals to retain his services. His choice to reject their advances and relocate to Merseyside has further strained relations between the two Premier League powerhouses.
Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool
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Rio Ngumoha joined Liverpool after leaving Chelsea's academy(Image: Ed Sykes/Getty Images)
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Reports suggest that Chelsea responded to Ngumoha's exit by barring Liverpool's youth scouts from attending academy fixtures.
He was just 16 when he made the controversial switch to the Reds, leading to a Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC) hearing.
The tribunal was required to establish the compensation owed to Chelsea for nurturing Ngumoha's development. According to The Athletic, the final decision, which cannot be appealed, has now been delivered to both clubs.
Liverpool must pay their Premier League rivals an initial sum of £2.8m, though this figure could escalate dramatically depending on future circumstances.
The total could balloon to £6.8m should specific targets - linked to first-team appearances, contracts and international honours - be achieved. Additionally, Chelsea will receive 20 per cent of any profit should Ngumoha be transferred elsewhere.
Ngumoha has already made a name for himself in England's youth teams and is currently playing for the under-19s, where he has eight appearances and one goal to his name.
Since making his debut in January 2025, Ngumoha has featured 14 times for Arne Slot's first team at Liverpool, becoming the club's youngest ever player in the FA Cup.
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He scored a memorable winning goal after coming on as a substitute in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Newcastle in August and has been a regular fixture in Premier League squads throughout the season.
Slot spoke highly of Ngumoha in December, stating: "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.
"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."