CHELSEA have agreed to pay Charlton £20,000 compensation for luring Deal starlet Sammy Moore to Stamford Bridge. The 14-year-old midfielder, who lives in Vlissingen Drive, Deal, has been at the centre of a dispute between the two Premiership clubs for more than a year.

Sammy had trained with Charlton since he was eight but last year he joined Chelsea’s youth ranks and is playing for the Blues’ Under-15 team. Charlton were unhappy at losing the talented youngster after investing time and effort in his development and wanted £55,000 compensation from Chelsea.

The matter has been decided by a Football League arbitration panel in London which ruled that Chelsea will have to pay Charlton £20,000 for acquiring Sammy.

His older brother, Jason, now with Deal Town, played for West Ham reserves as a teenager, as well as England U16s. Henry Moore, Sammy’s father, said: “This has been going on for over a year now, and we are glad that it’s all been finally sorted out and that Sammy can concentrate on his football.”

Ironically, Sammy’s latest game for Chelsea U15s was against Charlton on Sunday, when, according to his father, he played well as the Blues won 3-1.

Last month, Sammy, who is on a soccer scholarship at Dover College, was selected for a England U15 development course at Lilleshall. The youngster also plays for Kent U15s and was in the team which beat Sussex in a cup game two weeks ago.