What Liverpool forward did against Bayer Leverkusen shows why Chelsea hierarchy are still furious

Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool in action during the UEFA Youth League game at AXA Melwood Training Centre on November 05, 2024 in Liverpool, England.  (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool in action during the UEFA Youth League game at AXA Melwood Training Centre on November 05, 2024 in Liverpool, England.  (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool in action during the UEFA Youth League game at AXA Melwood Training Centre on November 05, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Rio Ngumoha joined Liverpool from Chelsea in the summer.

Chelsea are said to still be furious by Liverpool poaching one of their most precocious talents.

The Reds pulled off what was regarded as a major coup by prising Rio Ngumoha to Anfield in the summer. The 16-year-old was highly rated at Stamford Bridge, so much so that he trained with the first team despite still being a schoolboy and was named player of the tournament when the under-16s were crowned national champions last year.

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And with Chelsea taking Liverpool to a tribunal, the Reds won't mind having to pay out a training compensation fee one bit. They've recruited a youngster who has augmented their academy ranks and sees a pathway into the first team after witnessing the likes of Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Stefan Bajcetic and Trey Nyoni do the same.

As Liverpool under-19s delivered a 4-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Youth League, it was clear for everyone to see why the Chelsea hierarchy have been left seething they had Ngumoha poached from them. The winger was rampant throughout the encounter as Barry Lewtas' young Reds battled from behind to claim a second win in the competition and edge closer towards the knockout stage.

Ngumoha grew into the encounter at the AXA Training Centre, having a penalty appeal turned down before crashing an effort over the bar. And then the England youth international produced a moment of brilliance to engineer Liverpool's third goal and he skipped beyond a Leverkusen defender before slipping in Keyrol Figueroa to finish.

Kieran Morrison, Carter Pinnington and Trent Kone-Doherty were also on target for the Reds, with Nyoni also impressing in midfield. Liverpool did not get the green light on Ngumoha’s transfer until August after the Premier League’s five-step investigation. And now the teenager is starting to display why the Reds swooped for him - and left Chelsea fuming.

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