(Video) Rio Ngumoha training footage shows just why Liverpool believe he’s going to the top
In recent memory, it’s hard to think of many 16-year-old footballers in Britain who’ve attracted more attention than Rio Ngumoha.
The teenager hit the headlines a few weeks ago when, following a protracted administrative process necessitated by Premier League registration rules, Liverpool finally secured the capture of the highly-rated prospect from Chelsea’s academy (The Athletic).
Although the youngster’s experience doesn’t extend beyond under-18 level, he’s been showing just why the Reds were willing to jump through so many hoops in order to sign him.
A video from TikTok user coach_kai_, who provides ‘elite private football training’, shows Ngumoha flaunting his skills on a small-sided pitch.
The winger’s ball control and ability to seamlessly execute stepovers instantly jumps out, with his dazzling feet sure to give opposition defences nightmares, while the compilation also showcases that all-important ability to finish.
Ngumoha looks every bit like a star in the making
Although placing too much hype and expectation on the shoulders of a teeenage footballer can be not so much counterproductive as destructive, it’s difficult not to get excited about Ngumoha based on what we’ve seen from him so far.
In addition to the aforementioned skills compilation, the 16-year-old has produced captivating moments for Liverpool’s under-18 side, including a shot against Bologna in the UEFA Youth League which was inches away from being a sublime goal, and a penchant for running at opposition defences and causing downright panic.
It speaks to how highly he’s regarded that Chelsea legend John Terry advised football fans to ‘save his name’ as a future star, and that the winger’s move to Merseyside has sparked a chain of events which has seen the two clubs involved deny access to each other’s scouts for academy matches at their respective venues.
Ngumoha still needs exposure to the under-21 scene before any serious thought can be given to handing him a senior Reds debut, but all the signs so far point towards him making that biggest of steps in the foreseeable future.
You can view Ngumoha’s skills below, via coach_kai_ on TikTok:
@coach_kai_ Let Your Feet Do The Talking… #fyp #footballtiktok #futebol ♬ Fly – Melodic Drill Type Beat – Drilland
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