Liverpool FINALLY 'near' learning fee for controversial transfer

Liverpool are close to learning the fee for a massively controversial transfer. No regrets, of course.

Monday evening saw something extraordinary happen. Liverpool went to Newcastle United, in the midst of trying to sign their best player, and secured a 3-2 win thanks to a teenager.

It was a mad game, with Liverpool starting horrendously but somehow finding a 2-0 lead shortly after half time. Newcastle were down to 10-men, too, after Anthony Gordon was sent-off for a reckless foul on Virgil van Dijk.

🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas home range

However, Liverpool continued to play very, very badly and gave their lead up despite the man advantage. Newcastle were level going into stoppage time and felt far more likely to get the winner.

Arne Slot reacted by throwing on Harvey Elliott, barely seen last season, and Rio Ngumoha - never before seen in the Premier League. Both were involved, though, as Liverpool produced their best move of the match with a minute to go.

Elliott, in fact, was fantastic after getting on the pitch. He moved the ball around, found pockets of space and moved Liverpool forward. But it was Ngumoha who stole the headlines.

The 16-year-old struck with his first ever Premier League shot, scoring the winner with an emphatic finisher. It alerted the rest of English football to what Liverpool have known for a year - Ngumoha is an elite talent and one who's rapidly developing.

Of course, the Reds aren't the only ones who knew that.

🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas away range

Chelsea want their money

Liverpool stole Ngumoha from Chelsea a year ago. It was a highly controversial signing, with the Blues subsequently banning the Reds from attending their youth matches as a result.

They didn't like that they'd developed this talent for five years before losing him to a rival. They still don't like that, in fact.

And so per the Telegraph, Chelsea want an awful lot of money from Liverpool as compensation. Now, they don't actually get to decide that - a tribunal does.

The article makes it clear that the tribunal will happen 'in the near future', too. So we're close.

The Blues will push for a large fee here, hoping it can prove as a deterrent in the future. If Liverpool need to pay a lot, after all, they'll be less inclined to take chances on kids like that again.

In this case, though, Liverpool will be happy with whatever's decided. There's essentially no way that the tribunal can settle on a fee that wouldn't prove worth it, given Ngumoha is already capable of playing at the senior level.

We'll see what comes of it, then. But if Ngumoha proves to be the last elite talent Liverpool steal from a rival then so be it - he was worth it.

**🔴 **Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas home range 🔴

Rio Ngumoha forces Liverpool to ABANDON €100m transfer

Liverpool get transfer green light after manager agrees to sign midfielder

Trent Alexander-Arnold makes PRIVATE Real Madrid confession