Liverpool have settled the transfer fee they will pay Chelsea for striker Dominic Solanke – 12 months after his move to Anfield, according to Goal.
The football site claim the Merseysiders and the London club have avoided the need for the fee to be decided by the Professional Football Compensation Committee after finally coming to a resolution.
Solanke joined Liverpool last summer after his contract had expired at Stamford Bridge but the Londoners were due a compensation payment for development costs because he is under the age of 24.
OPINION
Given that Liverpool and Chelsea have both settled the fee without the recourse of a tribunal, as happened with the purchase of another striker on the northern club’s books, Danny Ings, it can be assumed neither are entirely unhappy with it. Both of the big hitters are tight-lipped over the actual sum, with neither briefing it to journalists after what appears to be an agreement behind the scenes. Intriguingly, Goal report Chelsea demanded £10million for Solanke, while Liverpool valued him at around £3million. It would be assumed the final cost is somewhere in the middle. Despite the England international’s rawness and poor scoring record at Anfield – he scored just a single goal in his debut campaign from 27 appearances in all competitions – that would represent good business. The striker should continue to develop quickly in the coming months, and the expectation is that he will eventually make a far bigger impact when the rough edges have been smoothed off. It might be best for his development he is loaned out in 2018-19 and Liverpool recruit a more potent alternative to Roberto Firmino.
