Liverpool complete out-of-window transfer for Chelsea teenager as John Terry sends three-word message

Liverpool have finalised the signing of huge attacking talent Rio Ngumoha from Chelsea, with Fabrizio Romano confirming the deal and with the 16-year-old winger having been sent a departing message from legendary Blues star and Academy coach John Terry.

The teenager is seen as one of the game’s hottest prospects, having trained on a couple of occasions with Chelsea’s first-team squad last season and having also appeared on five occasions for their Under-21s side on five occasions while still only 15 years old. However, the England youth international has been in talks with Liverpool for weeks and has now finalised his switch to Anfield on a scholar’s contract, where he will begin with their Under-18s side.

The Reds are understood to have already settled on terms to tie down the 16-year-old on a professional deal once he hits the age of 17 in July 2025.

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The signing of the winger has been allowed to have been finalised out of the window with the Reds actually registering the player last month and with only the bureaucracy process involved around the deal, delaying an announcement for so long.

With the Premier League now also confirming the move, a tribubnal is likely to be required to finalise the transfer fee and compensation Liverpool will need to pay with Chelsea.

And while the move has long been expected, the Blues are understandably disappointed to see the highly-rated prospect depart, despite their best efforts to persuade him to stay.

Confirming the move had been done, journalist Fabrizio Romano took to X, formely Twitter, to post: “Liverpool complete Premier League 5-step investigation process for Rio Ngumoha to join the club, confirmed. 2008 born talent agreed to the move after he left Chelsea, as exclusively revealed in June. Done, completed.”

Big things expected of Liverpool signing as John Terry sends message

Liverpool have now picked themselves up an absolute gem of a prospect and Reds supporters should quite rightly look to the future with optimism. If he fulfils anywhere near his potential, Arne Slot’s side could well have picked up a rare modern-day steal.

Having been capped nine times by England Under-16s, Ngumoha has two goals and two assists, while he was also named player of the tournament when Chelsea’s Under-16 side won the national championship last October.

Moving to Anfield, Ngumoha posted a picture of himself at Anfield on Instagram with the message ‘Delighted to sign for @liverpoolfc. YNWA.’

Despite being at Chelsea throughout the age groups, he has chosen the move to Anfield due to Liverpool’s proven track record of promoting their youth team prospects into the first team. Trey Nyoni, Jayden Danns and Conor Bradley were among the young Reds stars to make the grade in recent months and now Ngumoha will hope to become the latest player to make such a journey.

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Having made the move public, the 16-year-old was sent a three-word message by iconic former Chelsea star and currently Academy coach Terry, who stated: ‘(sic) Go luck mate.’

His defection to the north-west is the second high-profile youth star exit this summer with Manchester United recently poaching young striker Chido Obi-Martin, who scored 32 goals in 18 games for Arsenal’s Under-18s last season.

With United’s new No 2 Ruud van Nistelrooy understood to have played a leading role in the player’s move, he is expected to formalise the move imminently and will sign pro terms with the Red Devils when he turns 17 in November.

Ngumoha becomes Liverpool’s third signing of the summer, joining big-name stars Giorgi Mamardashvili and Federico Chiesa in agreeing moves to Anfield.