Liverpool sensation quit Chelsea to move to Anfield after trio left him with clear feeling
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Liverpool has secured a real gem in Rio Ngumoha, after the teenager departed Chelsea with the hope of joining a host of other Anfield youngsters shining in the Premier League.
This summer has seen the rise of this soccer sensation, who is continuing to turn heads with his recent performances as part of Arne Slot's first team.
In the 96th minute, Slot took a gamble, bringing Ngumoha off the bench for his Premier League debut in what looked to be a disappointing 2-2 draw at Newcastle.
The teenage hero made an astounding impact, appearing at the far post in the 100th minute to fire the ball into the net and send the away fans into ecstasy.
Ngumoha, who only made his senior debut in January during the FA Cup victory over Accrington Stanley, has already justified his decision to leave Chelsea roughly a year ago.
The midfielder joined the Reds as a 15-year-old last summer, having already trained with the first team at Stamford Bridge and made nine appearances for the Under-18s.
According to The Athletic, Ngumoha was inspired to join Liverpool specifically due to the opportunities Jurgen Klopp had been providing for young players at the club.
This was largely influenced by the involvement of trio Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley and Trey Nyoni in the first team, who were given varying levels of trust by then-manager Klopp during the 2023/24 season.
Ngumoha believed that Liverpool would provide him with a more realistic chance of playing in the Premier League than if he stayed at Chelsea and tried to break into the first team, which seemed a tall order considering their extensive spending on new signings.
The Reds' victory over Chelsea in the 2024 Carabao Cup final, just months before his move, highlighted the contrast between the two clubs
This same faith in youth appears to have been passed on to his successor, Slot, and it looks to be paying off so far.
However, Chelsea was reportedly livid at the time, given that Ngumoha had joined its academy at just eight years old
But no one was more disappointed than Blues legend and academy coach John Terry, whose glowing praise of the teenager hinted at his potential future success.
"Good luck mate," was the response from the former England and Chelsea captain to Ngumoha's Instagram post, which announced his delayed arrival as a Liverpool player last summer