Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Rio Ngumoha turns just 17 next month(Image: Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)

Wayne Rooney has put stock in the potential of Liverpool wonderkid Rio Ngumoha by tipping him to be the breakout star of the new Premier League season.

This summer, the 16-year-old has established himself as one of England's premier young talents after a superb pre-season where he racked up four goals and assists.

Having made his first-team debut for the Premier League champions last season, Arne Slot has been wary of managing expectations of the former Chelsea youngster, but was hugely complimentary of him after his goal against Yokohama F Marinos last month.

With the recent sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, Cody Gakpo is now Slot's only first-team left winger, which could present Ngumoha with opportunities to impress, especially with the Reds fighting on four fronts this season.

The teenager has already received plenty of plaudits, and Rooney has added to it as the Manchester United icon featured in a Premier League review edition of Match of the Day.

Alongside Kelly Cates, Danny Murphy and Julien Laurens, the England great named Ngumoha, who turns 17 next month, as his choice for the breakout star of the season.

Wayne Rooney has high hopes for Rio Ngumoha this season(Image: BBC)Article continues below

Rooney also predicted Liverpool would retain the Premier League title and chose Jeremie Frimpong as his pick for the most important signing this season.

He's also backed Mohamed Salah to capture a second straight Golden Boot, and fifth overall, over the likes of Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak, with the latter potentially sharing the dressing room with the Egyptian this year, given Liverpool's interest in him.

Slot's decision not to loan out Ngumoha certainly demonstrates the belief he possesses in him and admitted he has the ability to play for the league champions, regardless of his age.

"I don’t know what senior players exactly means, does that mean you play for your country or you’re a certain age?

Because a player like Rio showed in the last few games he played for us that, at senior level, he can make an impact as well," Slot said during pre-season.

Slot said that, while the likes of Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, 18, have talent in abundance, the club's staff must make sure to take care of them.

Ngumoha racked up four goals and assists in what was an impressive pre-season for the 16-year-old(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Article continues below

"They have an incredible chance to work and be every day around players like Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah and all these others to see what they do, to be ready to perform every three days," he explained.

"And that is a step these players definitely have to make, which is completely normal if you’re 16 or 17.

It’s already nice that they can play once a week at a good level, and we just try to develop them in the best way we can.

"But we also have to take care of them because new players that come in that are 23, 24, 22, already experienced that the intensity levels are quite high, either during the games or in training sessions, let alone for players that are 16 and coming through the academy."


For more news relating to Manchester United, visit our sister site MUFC Live.