By Han Bing At 16 years and 361 days, Ngumoh became Liverpool’s youngest ever goal scorer. He took only 4 minutes from coming on as a substitute to scoring, securing his place in both the club’s and Premier League’s history. Liverpool fans rejoiced at the birth of a new talent, while Chelsea, who lost him to Liverpool, regretted deeply and even banned Liverpool scouts from entering their training ground... Ngumoh’s rise marks a new chapter in the story of "poaching" domestic talents.

A “Bargain” Poach

After Ngumoh scored the winning goal in the 10th minute of stoppage time, Liverpool manager Klopp told him, "Enjoy this moment!" This summer, Klopp refused to sign Lyon’s Fofana and PSG’s Barcola to make space for Ngumoh’s development. When Liverpool took the Nigerian-mixed winger from Chelsea last summer, Klopp had already recognized his uniqueness: "Such shooting skills are impressive for his age; few 16-year-olds shoot with such determination. This confidence is exactly the kind of attitude I like," Klopp said.

Standing at 1.70 meters, Ngumoh is of Nigerian and Guadeloupean descent. He is practical in dribbling, excellent in movement and first touch. His maturity beyond his years ensures he can quickly make these skills effective. Ngumoh’s mentor at Chelsea’s academy, Sol Hurst, firmly believed in his ability: "He stands out because of his one-on-one ball control advantage. He can break through any defense and ultimately score."

Hurst recalled a particularly memorable moment: "We participated in a youth tournament in France, featuring Europe’s best youth teams like Ajax, Anderlecht, and Juventus. We were eliminated in the group stage, yet Ngumoh was awarded the tournament’s best player — unprecedented in youth competitions, which usually honor players from the winning team."

On August 29, just after turning 17, Ngumoh will receive his first professional contract, raising his weekly wage from £300 on a youth contract to £1,000. Compared to Liverpool’s 2019 compensation of £1.5 million plus £2.8 million in add-ons for taking Elliott from Fulham, the fee for Ngumoh’s transfer from Chelsea is unlikely to exceed £5 million. Clearly, this is an extremely cost-effective "poach." Chelsea legend Terry compared Ngumoh to Hazard and Joe Cole, but he will never see this promising star play for the Blues.

EPPP and Family Together Create a Prodigy

Ngumoh’s success owes much to Chelsea’s academy, where he trained for eight years. Last October, just after turning 16, Ngumoh appeared on the YouTube series "Inside the Academy," discussing ice bath recovery techniques and the importance of academics, confidently stating his belief that he will one day win the Ballon d’Or. His calm and mature demeanor astonished the host: "Is this really a 16-year-old?"

His older brother James was Ngumoh’s football mentor. At age 4, Ngumoh was scouted by a London Premier League club, and by 8, he trained five times a week, traveling among several academies including Arsenal’s development center. Ngumoh ultimately chose Chelsea’s academy, which has a seasonal budget of £12.5 million, surpassing most Championship clubs, and strictly follows the FA’s EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) guidelines for youth development.

Scouts begin selecting children from age 5, with most talents joining the academy between ages 6 and 8. Chelsea organizes internal matches for U8 players across its 11 youth centers to select 14-20 players to advance to the U9 squad.

From this stage, the club provides travel subsidies and transfer compensation to promoted players, along with psychological counseling support.

The education system founded by former Chelsea academy heads Bass and Fraser has been emulated by other clubs. Chelsea’s U14 players live with host families near the academy and attend full-time schooling at nearby Parkside School, which boasts a student-teacher ratio of 7:1, rivaling the UK’s most expensive private schools.

Chelsea’s academy teaches players from an early age how to handle media and psychological pressure. Ngumoh’s brother ensured that social media was banned throughout his development to shield him from public opinion.

Despite Ngumoh’s smooth growth, the first three seasons under Boehly’s ownership saw turmoil inside and outside Chelsea, with many young players brought in while academy stars were sold off in bulk, leaving Ngumoh’s family doubting his future in the first team. In February 2024’s League Cup final, Liverpool fielded many academy players to defeat Chelsea and win the trophy, solidifying Ngumoh’s decision to move to Liverpool. Chelsea’s painstakingly nurtured eight-year academy gem was thus handed over to their rival, and this raw talent quickly began shining at Liverpool.