Rio Ngumoha has confirmed on Instagram that he has sealed his switch from Chelsea to Liverpool.
The transfer has been in the works for a number of weeks but the Reds needed Premier League approval for the deal to be finalised. After everything was made official, Ngumoha expressed his delight about joining his new club:
In the replies to the post on Insta, Chelsea legend John Terry wished Ngumoha well by saying:
“Good luck mate.”
What do Liverpool fans need to know about Ngumoha?
The winger is only 16 but he has shown tremendous promise despite his young age. He caught the eye whilst playing for Chelsea’s Under 18s last season.
Ngumoha generally prefers to play off the left wing so he can cut in onto his stronger right foot, but he can also be deployed on the opposite flank or through the middle if required.
The England youth international is already training with the U21s
It’s unlikely that we will see Ngumoha make his senior debut this season but the Reds are fast-tracking his development, having made him part of the Under 21 setup.
Videos of him training with Barry Lewtas’s team have circulated online and, speaking in an interview with Liverpool’s official website, Lewtas said that Ngumoha was already familiarising himself with his new surroundings:
“It’s a nice introduction for Rio. It’s a chance for him to get to know the U21 players and an opportunity to train as well with the first-team staff.”
“Getting to know people as soon as you come is really useful because it helps you settle, it makes you more familiar and it gives you that grounding.”
Ngumoha may be able to get a few pointers from another new addition: Federico Chiesa. The Italian international is also a right-footed winger, and he has been training with the Under 21s to build up his fitness in recent days, having not played any competitive football since the back end of last season.
