Vincent Joseph

Arsenal are said to have Vincent Joseph, 16, on board — with a fee still to settle with Liverpool

A 16-year-old forward from Liverpool's academy and an England U16 international, Vincent Joseph is reported to have agreed to join Arsenal after turning down the Reds' scholarship offer. As he never signed professional terms, Liverpool are due compensation: the clubs are talking, and a tribunal would set the fee if they cannot agree. Nothing official yet.

Latest development

**UPDATE 15/08 — off to the committee.** This Is Anfield writes that Arsenal and Liverpool have been unable to agree a compensation fee, so the matter will be settled by the Professional Football Compensation Committee. It weighs the player's age, playing history, time spent training at the original club, the relative status of both clubs and the contract terms he was offered. The closest precedent is Isaac Moran, who left Liverpool for Newcastle last summer: an initial seven-figure fee rising to a potential £5m. Context reminder: Joseph's schoolboy registration had expired and he had not signed the scholarship deal Liverpool offered, despite interest from Chelsea and Manchester United. Still no club statement, and neither Ornstein nor Romano is on the file. **New entry, 13-14/08.** Several English outlets (the Daily Mail, relayed by CaughtOffside, This Is Anfield, Empire of the Kop and Tribuna) report that Arsenal have an agreement with Vincent Joseph, a 16-year-old forward from Liverpool's academy, and that the clubs are now negotiating training compensation. Because he never signed professional terms and his schoolboy registration has expired, Liverpool are entitled to a fee; failing an agreement, a tribunal will set it, as happened when Rio Ngumoha moved from Chelsea to Liverpool. What is established: the player-side agreement is reported consistently across several relays. What is not: neither Ornstein, Romano nor the BBC has stood the story up, no club has commented, and the compensation figure is wide open. A cautious status until a top-tier source confirms.