What Rio Ngumoha saw in three Liverpool players convinced him to quit Chelsea for Anfield

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Rio Ngumoha became Liverpool's youngest-ever Premier League goal scorer this week(Image: 2025 Getty Images)

Premier League fans have been left stunned by Chelsea allowing a gem like Rio Ngumoha to join rivals Liverpool.

But, earlier this week, four days before his birthday, Ngumoha made sure everyone who hadn't been paying attention knew his name.

Arne Slot rolled the dice in the 96th minute by bringing Ngumoha off the bench for his Premier League debut, when the Reds were set for a disappointing 2-2 draw at Newcastle.



The teenage sensation made a remarkable impact, arriving at the far post in the 100th minute to slot the ball into the net and send the away end into raptures.

His winner showed the important role he can play for the reigning Premier League champions this season.

And the player, who only made his senior debut in January during the FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley, has already been vindicated for leaving Chelsea roughly 12 months ago.

Ngumoha arrived from the Blues as a 15-year-old last summer, having already trained with the first team at Stamford Bridge and having made nine appearances for the Under-18s.

But he became one of the many Cobham starlets to leave in favour of more playing time.

Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah showed there was a pathway for young players at Liverpool(Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)

According to The Athletic at the time of his departure, Ngumoha decided to join Liverpool specifically after being motivated by the pathway Jurgen Klopp offered young players at the club.

That was down to the involvement that trio Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley and Trey Nyoni were enjoying in the first team at a young age, having been entrusted to varying degrees by then-manager Klopp during the 2023/24 season.

Ngumoha felt Liverpool would offer him a much more realistic chance of featuring in the Premier League than if he were to stay at Chelsea and attempt to break into the first team, which was a huge ask given their vast spending on new signings.

The Reds' victory over Chelsea in the 2024 Carabao Cup final, mere months before his move, was an example of the difference between the two clubs.

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