Liverpool Took Action After Wonderkid ‘Terrorises’ First-Team Players in 

Liverpool’s club-record signing of Florian Wirtz is an exciting one, but they have also been trying to keep one of English football’s best-kept secrets on the hush.

The Reds have built on Slot’s debut title-winning campaign by swooping for Wirtz in a £116m deal including add-ons. The German attacker was highly sought-after but it was the Premier League champions who beat Bayern Munich to his signature.

Wirtz joins a Liverpool side brimming with attacking talent, including those in their academy, amid glowing reports about Rio Ngumoha. The 16-year-old is tipped to become one of the club’s biggest stars, although they are doing all they can to manage expectations of the 11-cap England U17 international.

Ngumoha’s Training Exploits Force Liverpool To Take Action

The English teenage wonderkid has caused havoc

Most Liverpool fans will already be well aware of just how talented Ngumoha is upon seeing him in action at youth level. That’s also the case for the senior squad at Anfield, whom the youngster has been “terrorising”, per The Anfield Watch.

Ngumoha has been so impressive during training sessions that he left Slot and his backroom team “mesmerised”, forcing the club’s media team to delete footage of him on their ‘Inside Training’ video series. It speaks volumes about the promise he is showing among a group of champions.

Liverpool want to “carefully manage expectations” of the London-born starlet, who arrived from Chelsea’s academy in September 2024. It will be tough to do so, especially when he appears at senior level, as he did during a 3-1 pre-season friendly win against Preston North End on the weekend.

Rio Ngumoha vs Preston North End

Minutes Played:

45′

Touches:

21

Accurate passes:

13/14 (93%)

Key passes:

1

Crosses (accurate):

1 (0)

Long balls (accurate):

2 (1)

Shots blocked:

2

Dribble attempts (success):

2 (2)

Ground duels (won):

3 (2)

Slot hinted at Ngumoha’s training feats after handing him his senior debut in a 4-0 victory over Accrington Stanley in last season’s FA Cup (via Flash Score):

“Every time (Ngumoha) comes to train with us we see what his qualities are. He can dominate one-v-one situations, he’s very quick on his feet, he can change direction really fast.”

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Rio Ngumoha became Liverpool’s youngest ever first-team player last season after appearing against Accrington Stanley (aged 16 years and 135 days).

Liverpool are reportedly looking to secure Ngumoha’s first professional contract when he turns 17 next month, ahead of possible regular first-team football next season. He will be a member of Slot’s pre-season squad and his outing against Preston has already led to suggestions he’s ready for the step up from youth level.