Arne Slot and Liverpool stars use same word to describe Rio Ngumoha as Chelsea fume clear
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It's an adjective rarely dished out, but at Molineux on Friday night, Ngumoha showcased exactly why there is so much hype around him at Anfield."Potentially elite" was the verdict from Liverpool scouts when they were on the cusp of bringing him in from Chelsea nearly two years ago and the fact that the furious Londoners subsequently banned Reds talent spotters from attending their games revealed a lot as to how cut-throat the business of youth recruitment is.But it said a lot about Ngumoha's belief in his own ability that he moved some 200 miles north at the age of 15 in 2024. All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook pageDescribed by one seasoned watcher of youth football as one of the very best players in Europe for his age range, Ngumoha has done nothing to date to suggest the big build that accompanied his Anfield arrival was overblown hyperbole.But if Van Dijk, Robertson and Slot are all in agreement of Liverpool having a special talent in their midst where the precocious Ngumoha is concerned, the message from three Premier League winners is also as consistent."We all see what a special talent he is in terms of his one-v-ones and the way he drives at players," says Van Dijk.
"He's a good boy, we look after him, and he's got to keep learning."Robertson, speaking after the victory on Friday, added: "Everyone has a different route but he is a special player and a special kid. The percentage of those who go on to maximise their potential, in fact, is likely minuscule.Those who know Ngumoha speak of a "lovely kid" who has a strong family framework behind him that is helping him maintain the sort of attitude that is needed.There's an old YouTube clip of Ngumoha revealing his desire to win one day a Ballon d'Or and eventually come to be known as "one of the best football players who ever played football.”It was a remarkably lofty goal for an academy player to put on record without a senior minute behind them at the time.
It is what led him to Anfield two years ago, having seen Chelsea continue to invest huge sums in a procession of wingers, who blocked his path.Ngumoha's decision to move to Merseyside as he prepared to turn 16 might have caused consternation at Stamford Bridge but it was the Reds' ability to point to other players' development that allowed them to steal a march at a time when their rivals were spending tens of millions on young wingers like Kendry Paez and Estevao Willian.Since then, Chelsea have also signed Alejandro Garnacho, Pedro Neto and Jamie Gittens for the wide areas alongside forwards Joao Pedro and Liam Delap to further limit opportunities for academy hopefuls. Hopefully [more minutes] soon."He got his wish at Molineux, featuring for 70 largely electric minutes where he tormented Wolves' backline and could have scored a couple of goals to complement his display."I would definitely start him [going forward]," says former Liverpool and Chelsea winger, Joe Cole.