Rio Ngumoha: Who is 16-year-old Liverpool winger and how did he break into Arne Slot’s first-team squad? | Football News

Despite spending just shy of £300m in this transfer window on new signings, it was Rio Ngumoha who stepped up when Liverpool needed him most.

In the 100th minute in a topsy-turvy game at Newcastle, the 16-year-old was the coolest man in the St James’ Park cauldron as he curled home the winner in a dramatic 3-2 victory for Arne Slot’s Premier League champions.

It was the latest standout moment in a stellar summer for the teenager. Three goals, including two stunning individual efforts, and two more assists in pre-season offered a glimpse into the mercurial talent that has already left a huge impression on the club’s fans.

But Ngumoha has shown he can do it on the biggest stage.

Direct, dynamic and a maturity beyond his years best describe Ngumoha’s game – all traits that led Liverpool to poach the winger from Chelsea last summer.

So, what do we know about Ngumoha? And how much more might we see of him this Premier League season?

How Liverpool convinced starlet to move north

Ngumoha, born in Newham, east London, joined Chelsea aged eight. The wide man, who represented England at youth level, quickly rose through the ranks with the west Londoners, featuring for the club’s U21 side at just 15 years old.

However, Ngumoha opted to join Liverpool in the summer of 2024 after the Reds went all out to convince him to move to Merseyside, with former Chelsea captain John Terry, who has been involved in the Blues’ academy set-up, predicting he would go on to become a “top, top player”.

Ngumoha is understood to have been attracted by the proven pathway from Liverpool’s youth ranks to the first team, as seen on numerous occasions during previous manager Jurgen Klopp’s time in charge, while Slot has also demonstrated a willingness to give youth a chance since replacing the German at Anfield last summer.

A record-breaking Reds bow

Starting out initially with Liverpool’s U18 side, Ngumoha has enjoyed a rapid rise to the club’s first-team picture since making the move north.

Slot believed Ngumoha would benefit hugely from getting the opportunity to learn from players like Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, understanding exactly what one needs to do to be ready to perform every three days at the highest level.

As a result, in December of last year Ngumoha was named on the bench as Liverpool travelled to Southampton for a Carabao Cup clash, before becoming the Reds’ youngest-ever player to start a competitive fixture when Accrington Stanley visited Anfield for an FA Cup third-round tie in January.

And since his debut at the turn of the year, the wide man has been splitting training time between the academy and first team.

‘That guy is ridiculous – anything is possible’

Ngumoha was then included in the Liverpool squad for the pre-season tour to Hong Kong and Japan this summer, with Luis Diaz’s exit to Bayern Munich providing the perfect opportunity for Slot to slowly integrate the left-sided forward into the first team.

And boy has the 16-year-old grabbed that chance with both hands, scoring eye-catching solo strikes in wins against Yokohama F Marinos and Athletic Club that showed just why Chelsea were so reluctant to see him leave their academy last summer.

In fact, the youngster needed only five minutes to register a goal and assist against Athletic at Anfield, with Ben Gannon Doak – now at Bournemouth – singing his praises, telling LFCTV: “That guy is ridiculous. He is going to have some career ahead of him!

“So sharp and so talented. If he can keep going the way he is going, anything is possible.”

Slot has understandably at times this summer tried to dampen down expectations around Nguhoma given how intense the Premier League can be a lot for players in their early twenties, let alone his age.

“Rio is showing good things in every game in pre-season,” said the Reds boss after the win against Yokohama F. Marinos, before quickly keeping his feet on the ground by adding: “There was a moment where he should’ve squared it, so he can learn.

“But if you are 16 and you impact the game like he did, that’s definitely a compliment.”

‘He has to be involved’

After his heroics in Newcastle, Jamie Carragher now believes Ngumoha “has got to be involved” in Liverpool’s season – which will include a Premier League title defence and a bid to regain the Champions League trophy.

“It is difficult to create history at Liverpool because the club has got such great history. But there has been something about this lad in pre-season where Liverpool supporters are getting really excited,” said Carragher on Monday Night Football.

“Luis Diaz has moved on and he was the competition for Cody Gakpo on the left. There is a feeling that Liverpool have to replace Luis Diaz but what do you do when you have a young player like this?

“That is definitely going to be in the minds of the Liverpool hierarchy in terms of what they do in the next week because when someone has an impact like that as a young player, that is not enough now.

“I am not talking about him playing every week but he has shown himself in a big moment, a high-pressure moment, composure at such a delicate stage of the game.

“You cannot not see him now on the bench and coming on in games for the next two or three months. He has got to be involved.”

Liverpool captain Van Dijk, meanwhile, has erred on the side of caution. “I’m very, very pleased for Rio,” he told Sky Sports.

“I’ve mentioned it before to him already, it’s all a start now, he has to keep working hard and stay humble. He has to enjoy this, because these nights you can’t take for granted, of course, if you’re in his position.

“And I’m sure with the players that we have, he will be back in training and having a hard session tomorrow again.”

Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games this season

From this season, Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.

And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games this season will be on Sky Sports.