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Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool scoring his team's third goal during the friendly against Yokohama F Marinos at Nissan Stadium on July 30 2025 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

It has been a summer dominated by a club record spend that has already rocketed beyond £250million with, Liverpool supporters hope, the promise of more still to come.

But two players snapped up for minimal outlay in recent years are emerging among the real positives of pre-season.

And few could argue the stellar performer of the warm-up programme has been Rio Ngumoha.

The teenager, who doesn't turn 17 until next month, has been the subject of intrigue ever since Liverpool brought him from Chelsea last year.

The unhappiness from the Londoners at losing the player was an indication of the potential they felt had snatched from their grasp.

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Indeed, Ngumoha's development over the last 12 months has been rapid, lasting only a few months with the under-18s before permanent elevation to the U21 ranks after making his senior bow in January when starting the FA Cup third round win over Accrington Stanley at Anfield.

This summer, though, is when the winger has truly shot to prominence, handed starts in the first three friendlies during which he scored in the behind-closed-doors win over Stoke City.

But it was in front of more than 67,000 in the Nissan Stadium in Japan where Ngumoha truly announced himself to the wider viewing public when introduced shortly after the hour.

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On a dreadful pitch where many players struggled to maintain possession, the youngster instantly impressed with his close control, pace and willingness to run at opponents, denied by one save after skipping past several defenders and playing a one-two with Trey Nyoni, the other teenager to shine.

The highlight, however, came three minutes from time.

On the bench, the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah gave their clear approval.

Of course, exciting new wingers are nothing new for Liverpool in recent years, with Kaide Gordon and Ben Doak both having appeared for the first team before their 18th birthday.

But what already seems to set Ngumoha apart is his decision-making.

But the instinct to deliver the correct final ball is something difficult to teach.

Physically he has developed significantly in the last six months, giving him the confidence to hold his own among much older professionals.

And the same could be said for the other teenager to make the most of their pre-season exposure, midfielder Nyoni, whose encouraging showings continued with a well-taken finish for Liverpool's second goal as they came from behind to win 3-1.

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But it's Ngumoha's cameo which will rightly command the headlines.

On the day Liverpool officially waved goodbye to previous left-wing option Luis Diaz, it way well be the teenager is fast-tracking himself into Arne Slot's first-team thinking much sooner than anyone could have anticipated.


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