Latest news with #RioNgumoha
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
David Lynch's 5 Key Takeaways from Liverpool's 3-1 Win Over Preston
Lynch's 5 Takeaways from Liverpool 3-1 Preston: Ngumoha, Slot and More Liverpool began their pre-season with a composed and promising 3-1 win against Preston North End at Deepdale, and David Lynch, in his post-match podcast, offered a detailed, grounded analysis that sheds light on what fans can take from this early fixture under manager Arne Slot. Ngumoha's Talent Clear to See Lynch did not hesitate in identifying Rio Ngumoha as the standout performer. 'He's just an incredible talent,' he stated. 'I thought everything he did today oozed class… brilliant on the ball, quick, strong, direct.' Lynch praised not only Ngumoha's technical ability but also his confidence at such a young age: 'He didn't look like a kid playing with men.' The excitement around Ngumoha's development will surely grow if he continues in this vein. Advertisement Full-backs Show Slot's Tactical Identity Liverpool's full-backs played a crucial role in the match, and Lynch highlighted their involvement as a sign of tactical change. 'You could see the full-backs coming in narrow and looking to overload midfield,' he explained. Lynch pointed out that such positional play 'gives you control in midfield and stops counters.' This early sign of system implementation is an encouraging takeaway for supporters eager to see how Slot evolves Liverpool into the next season. Depth in Goalkeeping Still Strong Despite changes in the goalkeeping department, including the departures of Caoimhin Kelleher and Vítězslav Jaroš (on loan), Lynch reassured fans about the quality available. 'He's not a kind of a no-mark of a goalkeeper,' he said about one of the deputies. 'He was playing at a very high level as first choice up until last season.' Lynch emphasised that the second and third options remain 'very, very good despite the changes.' Advertisement This point of stability could prove vital over a long season with multiple competitions. Trey Nyoni Impresses with Composure Trey Nyoni earned specific praise for his maturity and control. Lynch was emphatic: 'He completes 100% of his passes, 29 out of 29… he just looks so composed on the ball.' The youngster's defensive contributions were also noted: 'Gets about a bit as well… can put his foot in, wins duels.' Lynch believes Nyoni has a 'chance for some games for him this season,' and that his impressive performance should 'be enough to get him on the tour.' These are encouraging signs for Liverpool's academy pipeline. Photo: IMAGO Advertisement Emotional Undertone Marks Start of Pre-Season While the match itself provided tactical insight and player highlights, Lynch acknowledged the emotional backdrop following the recent tragedy involving Diogo Jota. 'It's been… the tragedy that happened prior to this… is going to define the summer,' he said with evident gravity. Still, Lynch encouraged fans to appreciate 'aspects of the football that we should cling on to and really appreciate,' noting both the tributes and the joy the game can still offer. His final message summarised the sentiment well: 'A lot to like about this start to pre-season and more to come from Liverpool, I'm absolutely sure.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who is Rio Ngumoha? Liverpool wonderkid impresses against Preston in preseason friendly
Liverpool starlet Rio Ngumoha started against Preston North End and impressed during their pre-season friendly at Deepdale. The talent was named on the left wing for the Reds as they capped their first week back with an encounter against the Championship club. Advertisement Arne Slot named Ngumoha in the starting XI in a youthful Liverpool team that featured new goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and a host of youngsters, including Luca Stephenson and Trey Nyoni. The Dutchman handed the England prospect his first Reds start since January when he was handed the opportunity in the FA Cup third-round win over Accrington Stanley. Ngumoha was previously included on the bench against Southampton in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup fourth-round exit against Plymouth Argyle. READ MORE: Darwin Nunez reveals new look in first Liverpool friendly after surprise change READ MORE: Why Liverpool can't wear Adidas kits for first pre-season friendly against Preston Advertisement But what more do we know about Rio Ngumoha, the Liverpool wonderkid who looked a threat against Preston on Sunday? Ngumoha is 16 years old and plays on the left wing for Liverpool's Under-18 side. He made 26 appearances to his name this season since moving to Merseyside, including six in the UEFA Youth League and nine for Barry Lewtas' under-21s. The winger has already proved to be a handful for defenders and his trickery makes his performances particularly eye-catching. There has been plenty of hype around Ngumoha's potential ever since he left Chelsea to sign for the Reds and they will look to tie down his services for an extended period when he turns 17 next month. Advertisement The ECHO reported this week that he will sign his first professional contract with Liverpool following his 17th birthday next month. A new deal has been in the pipeline for Ngumoha and his arrival on Merseyside sent shockwaves throughout academy football in the country. Chelsea were privately furious at losing the starlet, who was considered one of the brightest talents in their academy. Initially, the teenager joined the club on scholarship terms last summer, due to restrictions on youth signings. And at the end of August, he will officially become a professional footballer with two senior outings already to his name, a couple of unused substitute appearances and a host of showings for the Reds youth ranks. Advertisement Despite being at a tender age, the 16-year-old has already outlined his ambition to become the best player in the world. "I truly believe I can win the Ballon d'Or one day," said Ngumoha, speaking to Lovell Soccer's Inside The Academy in October. "I want to be regarded as one of the best players to ever play football and be a legend of the game."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fabrizio Romano confirms wonderkid to agree Liverpool deal
Liverpool are a club littered with talented players and tying them down is essential. Allowing the possibility that a rival club could swoop in and snatch them away is something the Reds have tried their hardest not to do. Everyone knows their situation at the club to avoid any confusion. Advertisement Issues with Ibrahima Konate and Luis Diaz are being resolved behind the scenes right now, and this will either involve selling them or getting them to commit to new long-term contract terms. But even if they go, there are wonderkids that are desperate for their chance to make a difference in the first-team set-up and their commitment to the club cannot be disregarded. Ngumoha will receive his first professional contract It was earlier reported by David Lynch that his sources were alerting him to the likelihood that Rio Ngumoha will agree to a new deal, with talks being accelerated at the club to secure his future. Advertisement However, we have now received further confirmation from Fabrizio Romano regarding the story. On his X page, he said: "Liverpool are planning to advance talks with talented winger Rio Ngumoha. Discussions ongoing for 2008 born talent to sign new long-term contract." Still just 16 years old, the Englishman remains one of the standout up and coming talents in football. He plays predominantly on the left-wing and since joining from Chelsea last summer, he's made three goal contributions in the U21 team and alongside making his first-team debut in the FA Cup. But what has been most impressive about him has been his fluent dribbling, making sure to keep rival full-backs on their toes. Diaz was a similar character when he first moved to Merseyside. Advertisement The pair have a freedom about them, a raw untouched ability to make a difference on the pitch. Despite his age, it would not be surprising if Ngumoha's involvement in the team was to increase next season, although the upcoming preseason games against Preston and in Japan will be crucial. We might see a potential loan move to give him the consistent minutes at a higher lever that he needs to be able to fully challenge himself and develop, but that assessment will be made in due course.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool set to announce new deal for left-winger
Liverpool are set to announce a new contract for their exciting left-winger very soon. At this moment in time, Arne Slot has a lot of options to choose from in attack. He begins pre-season with the likes of Federico Chiesa, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz still at the club. Advertisement Ben Doak is also involved with the first team, and he's expected to be given a chance to prove himself. On top of that, there is also Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo who can play in the attacking positions. As Liverpool prepare to face Preston North End it's going to be interesting to see how Slot navigates his options. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the trio of Diaz, Nunez and Chiesa. The latter two are more likely to leave than to stay at the club at this present moment. And that could be a golden opportunity for another young star. We're talking about Rio Ngumoha of course. The 16-year-old has already made his first-team debut, dazzling his opponents against Accrington Stanley with some mesmerising moves. Advertisement Ngumoha is one of the best talents in England, and it was a major coup when the Reds lured him from Chelsea's grasp last summer. Now, a year on from that coup, Ngumoha has continued his development at the club. He's made great strides and has established himself as one of the best players in the club's U21 team. His incredible dribbling ability has also caught the eye at first team level. Anfield Watch revealed exclusively that the club's media department has been forced to delete footage of Ngumoha in first team training in a bid to control the hype around him. This summer will present him further opportunities to establish himself in the first team. It's expected Ngumoha will be part of Liverpool's tour to Asia. And it looks like that's not the only significant step that he's about to take in his career. According to David Lynch speaking on his YouTube channel, Ngumoha is also expected to sign his first professional contract with the club, which is expected to be announced very 'soon' when he turns 17-years-old next month. Advertisement This will be a reward for Ngumoha's form, and it's another step in the right direction. Ngumoha has a very good chance of becoming a future first team player. Now he just needs to keep his head down and continue his development. The next couple of years will make or break his career and at Liverpool he will be in an environment where the club will give him every opportunity to realise his full potential.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool have high hopes for Academy talent with pre-season assessment to come
Liverpool have begun the defence of their Premier League crown in aggressive fashion, signing five players and spending over £200m in the first few weeks of the transfer window. Among those new arrivals are Florian Wirtz, recruited from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, Jeremie Frimpong, signed from the same club for £29.5m and Milos Kerkez, a £40m capture from Bournemouth. Advertisement And despite the exits of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Caoimhin Kelleher, the Reds squad is looking stronger as Arne Slot starts his second campaign as head coach. Slot may want to dip into the transfer market further this summer, with a centre-back and centre-forward both positions in which the Reds could do business, but the Dutchman will be well aware of the talent he possesses in the youth ranks at Anfield. READ MORE: Liverpool transfer business to continue with finishing touches put to £35m deal READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp confirms which job he turned down to stay and 'fix' Liverpool as future plans revealed Advertisement Indeed, Slot handed a debut to 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha last season and he won't be afraid to turn to youth in the upcoming campaign, either. But who could enjoy a breakout season at Liverpool? Our writers have their say: Paul Gorst Liverpool are always keen to play down the hype around talents that are signed to the academy ranks for obvious reasons but there was little they could do about the interest in Rio Ngumoha last summer. Signed from Chelsea in a deal that left the Londoners furious, "potentially elite" was the verdict of one insider to the ECHO last year and the youngster was so highly regarded at Stamford Bridge that even John Terry was getting involved to wish him well on Instagram after his move to Liverpool was complete. Advertisement Ngumoha told a podcast last year that he had designs on winning the Ballon d'Or during his career and while the wisdom of allowing a 16-year-old on camera to talk up such lofty hopes without having made a first-team appearance can be questioned, there is little doubting the ambition. That being said, Ngumoha might have to settle for simply catching Arne Slot's eye for now over the coming weeks. The electric winger showed flashes of his undoubted quality at times in the academy ranks and was rewarded with a spot in the team that beat Accrington in the FA Cup back in January as a result. It will be interesting to see how much game-time Ngumoha gets this summer. With Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo fighting for position on that left flank, competition is fierce but senior involvement would likely do the fledgling a world of good this summer in his overall aim to make the grade in the senior set-up. He will be one to keep a close eye on this summer. There are high hopes for him at Anfield and for good reason. Advertisement Joe Rimmer Liverpool's Academy has been one of the best and most consistent things about the club over the past decade. FSG's commitment to ensuring the Reds got their work around youth right has paid dividends, whether that be through the emergence of talent, the transfer fees that now come in from homegrown players or, most significantly, the Academy's contribution to Liverpool's on-pitch success, it's a key part of the club's DNA. And while last season wasn't a vintage campaign for Liverpool's youth sides, the emergence of Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha and Amaro Nallo still speaks volumes about the quality at that level. Advertisement So who could make their breakthrough this time around? My answer to that is perhaps a bit of a fudge, as this man has already shown fans what he is capable of. But it has to be a big season for Jayden Danns. The tall centre-forward has talent, desire and perhaps the key ingredient, a knack of being in the right place at the right time. And while he does that on the pitch, perhaps, should Darwin Nunez indeed leave the club in the coming weeks, a fit again Danns could be in the right place to show Slot what he's capable of in pre-season. More likely, though, is a loan move and that will be key to the teenager's further development as he looks to put injury problems behind him and start to gain experience. Liverpool, no doubt, will be watching closely.
