Manager Arne Slot has expressed confidence in the teenager and praised his qualities in front of goal
Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha has signed his first professional contract, committing his future to the Premier League champions until 2028.
The deal, finalised on Thursday, comes just weeks after the 17-year-old, then 16, announced himself with a dramatic 100th-minute winner on his league debut against Newcastle United. At 16 years and 361 days, he became Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer.
Ngumoha joined the Merseyside club from Chelsea’s academy in the summer of 2024. Liverpool are to pay Chelsea a compensation fee for him, but a tribunal is yet to decide how much.
Head coach Arne Slot has shown confidence in the teenager. This summer, Liverpool opted not to sign a direct replacement for Luis Diaz when the Colombian joined Bayern Munich, instead leaving a pathway open for Ngumoha to compete for minutes on the left flank.
He has since been used as Cody Gakpo’s deputy and featured in wins over Burnley, Atletico Madrid and Southampton. The teenager was also preferred ahead of Federico Chiesa in Liverpool’s 22-man Champions League squad.
After his debut strike at St James’ Park, Slot praised the teenager’s composure and called him “an amazing finisher” for his age.
“He wasn’t afraid to take players on from the first ball he got,” said Liverpool’s head coach. “That confidence is rare in someone so young.”
Under England’s Football Association regulations, players cannot sign professional terms until they turn 17, with the maximum length of any contracts capped at three years. Ngumoha’s deal will therefore keep him at Anfield through to 2028.
