- Liverpool signed Solanke this past summer after his Chelsea contract expired
- However, they still owe a compensation fee as per FA rules
- The 20-year-old’s England call-up could complicate matters further
- READ MORE: Chelsea given fresh headache, new problem in bid to keep influential figure
Liverpool completed the signing of Dominic Solanke in the summer after his contract with Chelsea expired, but there is still confusion over how much they have to pay.
Given that he was under 24 when he signed for the Reds, as per transfer rules in England, Chelsea are owed a compensation payment having developed him through their youth ranks.
In turn, with no such payment having yet been made, it’s led to a confusing situation in which it’s not clear how much is owed, and it’s going to get trickier according to the Evening Standard.
A tribunal will be set to sort out the matter, but the issue lies in the fact that the two Premier League clubs have vastly differing valuations of the youngster and what should be paid.
It’s claimed that while Chelsea value Solanke at over £10m, Liverpool have been willing to offer just £3m, and so there lies the problem which threatens to make this an even messier saga that has dragged on from the summer.
Now it’s suggested that after being called up for England duty with the senior side this week, Gareth Southgate’s decision could benefit Chelsea who will use it to their advantage to strengthen their argument as to why they should be paid the aforementioned £10m+ they’re holding out for.
It doesn’t look particularly promising for Liverpool as the tribunal could also take into consideration the fact that the 20-year-old has made 10 appearances for the Merseyside giants already this season, while he shone at the Under-20s World Cup over the summer as he ended the tournament as the top goalscorer and player of the tournament.
Solanke is evidently an important part of Jurgen Klopp’s plans moving forward and so ultimately you’d expect them to pay the fee that the tribunal decides upon with minimal fuss, but up to that point they’ll be looking to make this as much of a bargain acquisition as possible by lowering the fee down to what they perceive is fair representation.