Liverpool have been handed a boost in keeping hold of Joshua Abe after Chelsea were slapped with a transfer ban on signing academy players. It comes after previous reports that the Blues were keeping an eye on Abe's progress.
It has previously been reported that Chelsea's interest is seen as a 'revenge mission' following Rio Ngumoha's move in the opposite direction. Ngumoha swapped Stamford Bridge for Anfield in 2024, with his switch to Merseyside frustrating Blues' officials who banned Liverpool scouts from attending academy games at their Cobham training base.
But any chance of retaliation from west London has been dented after news on Monday that Chelsea have received an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban. It comes after the club were fined £10million and handed a suspended transfer ban after admitting they made £47m in secret payments to unregistered agents and third parties over transfers between 2011 and 2018.
The Blues' punishment also includes a £750,000 fine over the registration of academy players between 2019 and 2022.
It is the largest fine in total handed to a Premier League club – topping the £5.5m fine given to West Ham United in 2007 over the signings of Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez.
It therefore means that Liverpool's chances of keeping hold of Abe, 15, look to have improved. The winger, who was born in July 2010, has made 10 appearances for Liverpool's Under 18s so far this season, scoring eight goals and providing three assists.
Although Abe has not made a first-team appearance yet, many in and around the academy believe he is one of the most exciting youngsters on Liverpool's books.
He is yet to sign a scholarship contract with the Reds or Chelsea, as well as Arsenal and several other top clubs, keeping a keen interest in his situation. If Abe does stay put at Liverpool, he will hope to follow in Ngumoha's footsteps.
The academy star scored off the bench on his Premier League debut against Newcastle United in August. He has since made 12 appearances in total for the Reds' first team this season, including two in the Champions League.
"He's a player that can finish really well for his age," Slot said after Ngumoha scored in the win at Newcastle. "How firm his shot was, you don't see this often for a 16-year-old.
"I did hear someone afterwards in the dressing room, I won't say who, said they would have taken that ball, have a first touch, then finish it off. But he is so confident.
"That's what I like, because the first ball he got he wasn’t afraid. He immediately took someone on.
"When the second player came, he got across him, and for him to score that goal is not completely a coincidence because for his age he is an amazing finisher."
