Who is Rio Ngumoha? Liverpool wonderkid who made controversial transfer from Chelsea

Rio Ngumoha made Liverpool past connected Saturday erstwhile helium started their FA Cup third round clash against Accrington Stanley.

Aged conscionable 16 years and 135 days, helium is the youngest ever subordinate to commencement a crippled for the Reds.

Liverpool fans person been speedy to praise the teenager, labelling him a ‘quality baller’, ‘the champion subordinate connected the pitch’ and a prima with ‘crazy potential’.

But it could person been a precise antithetic communicative for the wonderkid who already has ambitions of lifting the Ballon d’Or.

What presumption does Rio Ngumoha play?

Ngumoha, who wears the No.73 shirt, is simply a guardant who plays chiefly arsenic a left-winger.

Despite lone turning 16 past August, the teen has already been grooming with the elder Liverpool broadside and playing for their U18s.

So acold this play he’s made 13 appearances for the younker side, providing 4 assists, and helium was adjacent named connected the seat for the first-team’s Carabao Cup triumph astatine Southampton successful December.

He besides has 3 caps for the England U17s.

Rio Ngumoha’s arguable transportation from Chelsea to Liverpool

Ngumoha was a highly-rated subordinate of Chelsea’s academy and past April helium scored successful the U17 Premier League Cup final victory implicit Wolves.

They were hopeful that the guardant could beryllium a large subordinate for the westbound London nine successful the future, but alternatively helium moved to Liverpool past summertime aft failing to hold caller presumption with the Blues.

While a escaped transfer, Chelsea are entitled to a compensation interest from their Premier League rivals, but nevertheless the Blues were reportedly furious implicit Ngumoha’s exit.

It is said that arsenic a consequence, Chelsea person present banned scouts from Liverpool, arsenic good arsenic Manchester United, from attending their academy matches.

What has Arne Slot said astir Rio Ngumoha?

Upon handing Ngumoha his debut against Accrington Stanley, Liverpool manager Arne Slot told ITV: ‘It’s ever peculiar if a young subordinate makes his debut. There’s a grin connected my face!

‘He’s a young kid still. He’s trained mostly with the U21s, sometimes with america and each clip he’s with america he’s not acrophobic to bash what he’s bully astatine which is taking connected one-v-ones and I anticipation helium volition get the accidental to amusement his qualities today.’

Ngumoha has boldly stated his ambitions to go 1 of the world’s champion players, saying previously: ‘I genuinely judge I tin triumph the Ballon d’Or 1 day.

‘I privation to beryllium regarded arsenic 1 of the champion players to ever play football and beryllium a fable of the game. I person learned you person to beryllium resilient and judge successful yourself.

‘You tin person a fewer atrocious games but you person to person that content that you are the best. For me, if I americium successful atrocious signifier I conscionable enactment it down maine and enactment hard.’

‘He’s astatine a nine wherever players tin triumph the Ballon d’Or,’ Slot added.

‘Let’s hold but that’s far, far, acold excessively aboriginal to speech about. He has to play a bully crippled today!’

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