John Terry has said Chelsea have lost a ‘top, top player’ after academy starlet Rio Ngumoha joined Premier League rivals Liverpool.
Ngumoha is regarded as one of the best prospects in English football in his age group and has represented England at u-16 level.
The forward has made the decision to leave Chelsea for Liverpool in search of a clearer route to first-team football and the final stages of the deal were completed on Wednesday, with the Reds requiring Premier League approval.
No compensation has yet been agreed between the two clubs, though it is expected to be a six-figure sum for the 16-year-old to cover training and development costs. A tribunal is likely to be required to determine the fee.
John Terry hails Liverpool signing Rio Ngumoha as ‘top player’
Liverpool believe the signing of Ngumoha is a significant coup and former Chelsea captain Terry has given his verdict on the teenager.
Commenting under Fabrizio Romano’s post announcing Liverpool’s capture of the player, the ex-England defender wrote: “This boy is and will be a top top player.”
Liverpool’s deal for Ngumoha continues a policy of snapping up emerging talent from rival academies to develop on Merseyside, and follows the arrival of Alvin Ayman from Wolves this summer. Trey Nyoni and Amara Nallo were signed from Leicester City and West Ham respectively last year, while Ben Doak joined from Celtic in 2022.
