old wonderkid trains with first team as £2.8m package confirmed

Liverpool news: 15-year-old wonderkid trains with first team as £2.8m package confirmed

Liverpool will take on Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday as Arne Slot's team look to drag themselves back into the Premier League's top four

Liverpool will return to Premier League action on Sunday in a game which could prove pivotal for both the title race and Champions League battle. Arne Slot saw his team claim a first league win of 2026 last time out as the Reds beat Newcastle 4-1 at Anfield but they still only sit sixth in the table.

Weekend opponents Manchester City won the reverse fixture 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium despite Erling Haaland seeing an early penalty saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili. They dropped points against Tottenham last time out, though, and find themselves six points adrift of league leaders Arsenal with 14 matches remaining this season.

Transfer deadline day has been and gone without Liverpool adding to their ranks immediately, though Jeremy Jacquet will join in the summer. City have been busier, with new signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi both expected to play a part on Sunday.

Away from the immediate action, Liverpool's wonderkid production line has remained in the headlines. Here's our latest from around Anfield.

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Abe training with first team

There was an unfamiliar face in Liverpool's first team training session ahead of the Manchester City game. Joshua Abe only turned 15 in July but has a high reputation on Merseyside already and was spotted joining the senior squad in the lead-up to Sunday's game - though there's no guarantee he'll be thrown into a matchday squad just yet.

The teenage winger has scored five goals in just eight league appearances for Liverpool's Under-18s this season. His form earned him a UEFA Youth League debut in midweek against Zilina where he became the Reds' youngest ever player in the competition.

In November, it was reported that Liverpool faced a battle to keep hold of Abe amid interest from Chelsea and Arsenal. Chelsea previously saw a teenage talent move in the other direction, with Rio Ngumoha moving to Merseyside in 2024.

Arne Slot has named teenagers in his matchday squads on plenty of occasions already this season. Ngumoha was among the unused substitutes for last week's victory over Newcastle, along with fellow England youth internationals Amara Nallo and Trey Nyoni.

Only three 15-year-olds have ever played Premier League football, two of them for Arsenal. Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest ever player in the competition when he made his Arsenal debut in 2022, with fellow Gunners star Max Dowman and Leicester starlet Jeremy Monga the others to debut before turning 16.

Ngumoha compensation ruling

Liverpool will have to pay Chelsea a minimum of £2.8million in compensation for Rio Ngumoha. According to The Athletic, a tribunal awarded the seven-figure sum and it could climb by an additional £4m.

The young winger came through Chelsea's academy but moved to Anfield in the summer of 2024 when he turned 16. The potential additional payments are performance and contract related, while Chelsea will also be entitled to 20 percent of any sale.

London-born starlet Ngumoha was already playing for the Blues' Under-18 side at the age of 15. He made his professional debut with Liverpool in last season's FA Cup and scored on his Premier League debut against Newcastle in August.

He has also played twice in this season's Champions League and earned praise from Slot. "Rio can finish so well for his age. I did hear someone say afterwards in the dressing room he would have taken a first touch but he is so confident. For his age he is a really good finisher," the manager said after his late winner at St James' Park.

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