I saw why Liverpool left Chelsea hierarchy seething - they now might be even angrier
Liverpool signed Rio Ngumoha from Chelsea in the summer and he
Kopites got the latest glimpse of the next talent off the Liverpool conveyor belt. Only unlike Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and Jarell Quansah, this one hasn’t been at the Reds’ academy since he childhood.
He’s one that was tracked by Liverpool’s recruitment team and prised to Anfield like Harvey Elliott, Conor Bradley and Caoimhin Kelleher. Fulham were left frustrated when Elliott left for the Reds in 2019 as they banked a meagre £4.3 million in compensation. Yet even the Cottagers’ hierarchy could probably fathom why Elliott wanted to join Liverpool, his boyhood club and a step up when it comes to the footballing pyramid.
And it is understandable why Chelsea were reportedly seething they had Rio Ngumoha poached from under their nose. Having trained with the first team and featured for the under-21s aged just 15, there were clearly high hopes for him. Now Liverpool are the ones who have aspirations that the winger can become a future first-team regular after he was persuaded to join the Reds in the summer. A five-step Premier League investigation was required, with Liverpool doing everything by the book to sign the youngster when he was still aged 15.
Ngumoha has made encouraging progress so far on Merseyside and certainly caught the eye at age-group level. In UEFA Youth League games, he has been electric and trained with Arne Slot’s first team on several occasions.
It was a tad surprising that the England youth international was handed his debut for the FA Cup third-round tie against Accrington Stanley. Federico Chiesa, who has endured a frustrating opening few months since signing from Juventus, had to settle for a berth on the bench as he had been ill in the build-up. But any supporter who was unaware of Ngumoha’s precocious talent is no longer in the dark after a routine 4-0 triumph.
The teenager, who became Liverpool’s youngest starter in history aged 16 years and 135 day, did not try to avoid making mistakes and choose easy options. He played without fear against Accrington. The visitors may be 19th in League Two but most of their troops are seasoned Football League campaigners. Stanley right-back Donald Love has more than 200 professional games under his belt, 12 of which in the Premier League for Sunderland.
Each time Ngumoha got the ball, he made it his intention to put Accrington on the back foot. On each occasion, he got supporters off the seats. It appears that Ngumoha only knows one way of playing. Granted, there were a couple of moments he should have laid the ball off rather than trying to jink beyond a Stanley defender. But Ngumoha displayed bravery and belief in his ability and his blocked shot would be recycled before Trent Alexander-Arnold rifled a shot into the top corner for Liverpool’s second goal.
The youngster wasn’t as involved in the second period, with Accrington having a short spell of their own with the ball, but he did pick out one fine pass for Jota inside the box. When substituted in 72nd minute, Ngumoha was afforded a rousing reception. Liverpool fans had been impressed.
“I think he has been with us now for half a season, every time he comes training with us we see what his qualities are,” said head coach Slot on Ngumoha’s performance. He can dominate in one v one situations, he is very quick on his feet and can change direction very fast. I am always happy if a player makes his debut that he shows what we see on the training ground.
“The fans could see if and I think they liked what they saw. You could feel that in the stadium in the first half already and when I took him out, the reaction of the fans, you could see they liked what they saw as well. Special day for him, making your debut, win and he will sleep well tonight.”
Liverpool haven’t signed Ngumoha free of charge. They will have to pay Chelsea a compensation fee which is to be decided by a tribunal. The Reds won’t mind that at all, though. In truth, Stamford Bridge hierarchy might be even angrier after the starlet’s display against Accrington.