Chelsea learn true cost of Rio Ngumoha transfer mistake

Cameron Smith

6 Feb 2026 04:34 CST
3 min read

Liverpool have been told to pay an initial fee of €3.2 million for the signing of Chelsea wonderkid Rio Ngumoha.

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The England U19 international left west London to complete a blockbuster move to Anfield back in 2024, with the transfer entitling Chelsea to a compensation fee decided by a Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC) tribunal.

Current ETV

Rio Ngumoha

F (L)

Liverpool

Rio Ngumoha

F (L)

Liverpool

ETV Range

€23.6M - €28.8M

As first reported by The Athletic, it has now been decided that Liverpool owe Chelsea an initial fee of €3.2m (£2.8m), plus a potential €4.6m (£4m) in performance-related add-on clauses. It’s understood that the add-ons relate to senior appearances, contracts and potential senior international caps.

If the entire fee is paid, Chelsea will earn €7.8m (£6.8m) for Ngumoha, while they also have a 20% sell-on clause should Liverpool ever offload the England youngster on a permanent deal.

Chelsea rue Rio Ngumoha departure

Ngumoha’s move to Anfield caused immense anger among Chelsea officials and they even banned Liverpool scouts from attending academy matches at their Cobham training facility in an attempt to block the Reds poaching another of their most talented teenagers.

The potential €7.8m transfer fee they could earn through the move will do little to ease frustrations either as Ngumoha’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) currently stands at a whopping €26.2m. As a result, the fee they will earn from Liverpool is already a fraction of his actual value.

Ngumoha reportedly left Chelsea due to the lack of a first-team pathway available, with the Blues having signed a plethora of young attackers during the Clearlake Capital era, most of whom haven’t succeeded.

The 17-year-old is yet to establish himself as a first-team regular at Liverpool either, although he has made 13 senior appearances for the club this season and he became their youngest ever Premier League goalscorer when he netted a stoppage time winner versus Newcastle United in August.

He is expected to play a more prominent role for the Reds next campaign, especially if Mohamed Salah joins the Saudi Pro League as expected, while Chelsea will reportedly be in the market for another left winger amid the struggles of Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens this season.

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