Liverpool confirm new signing five days after transfer window closed

The Premier League have approved the transfer of talented youngster Rio Ngumoha, 16, who joins Liverpool from Chelsea.

Ngumoha’s move was confirmed on Wednesday after Liverpool completed the league’s five-step review – a standard process when a player moves between two category-one academies.

It’s reported by The Athletic that Liverpool will still have to pay Chelsea a compensation fee – remuneration for the capital club’s training and developmental costs. A tribunal is expected to be needed to confirm the final fee.

It comes after Ngumoha decided to leave Chelsea in the summer, with Liverpool emerging as the promising forward’s destination of choice.

Liverpool’s track record of developing young talent is said to have been a driving factor in Ngumoha picking Liverpool over clubs elsewhere.

What’s more, Ngumoha is believed to have been tempted by the first-team pathway which has led to opportunities for the likes of Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley and Trey Nyoni.

It’s also claimed that Liverpool’s hierarchy are delighted about the move, with Ngumoha’s talent and potential held in high regard by the Merseyside outfit.

Ngumoha had already made his debut for Chelsea’s under-21 side before leaving the club, with the attacker also named Player of the Tournament when the Blues won the under-16 national championship last October.

But, the teenager wasn’t able to play for the club until given the green light by the league – a decision which has now been ratified.

Set to be dropped into Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s under-18s side, the ex-Chelsea starlet could make his Reds debut in the youth team match against Blackburn Rovers on 14 September.

While an addition for the future, it comes at the end of a quiet summer for Arne Slot and co. at Liverpool.

It took the six-time European champions until the final week of the window to add a player to their current squad, with Federico Chiesa joining from Juventus for £12.5million.

Regarded as somewhat of a steal because of the low price, Chiesa was one of just two senior signings this summer, with the other, Giorgi Margvelashvili, staying at Valencia FC for the rest of the 2024/25 season.

The comparative lack of business compared to their Premier League rivals doesn’t appear to have impacted them too much, given Slot’s side sit level on points with leaders Manchester City after three matches.