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If Arne Slot needed a reminder of just how talented the precocious Rio Ngumoha is, the latest international break provided it.
Given the Dutchman sees Ngumoha perform at Kirkby on an almost daily basis, he would likely bristle at any suggestion he could overlook or ignore the teenager’s ability. Whether the winger can stamp his authority on Liverpool training sessions is another matter, though. Only the coaching staff will truly know.
But back with his peers this week, Ngumoha underlined just how advanced he is for his age. In reality, the Under-19s, whom Ngumoha teamed up with during the Premier League hiatus, aren’t even really his peers. At 17, the Liverpool star could still play at that level for a few more years.
At the very least, two outstanding displays against Lithuania and Latvia should provide a confidence boost for the attacker. He won’t be the only member of the Liverpool dressing room in need of one.
Ngumoha managed a goal and an assist across the double header in the last week, and his performances quickly gained traction on Liverpool social media circles. A nearly four-minute highlights package from the win over Latvia showed just how devastating Ngumoha’s mesmeric pace, skills, and finishing ability can be.
Slot clearly rates the former Chelsea youngster, even if his progression to the first team has felt a little forced at times. That was certainly the case when he was handed a maiden Liverpool start in January, or when it was decided ahead of the summer that the youngster would play a prominent role in preseason.
Given the battle to secure his signature and promise of first-team opportunities, maybe it’s not a shock Ngumoha has been fast-tracked. And he has more than justified that decision from Slot.
Ngumoha was the standout performer in preseason, scored that historic goal at Newcastle United and has enjoyed bright moments in his two Carabao Cup starts this season.
Yet minutes in the other competitions have been harder to come by. In fact, they’ve dropped off in the Premier League. Nguomha has played in just one of the last five league matches, and none of the three most recent Champions League games.
That is due in part to the competition for places, and hasn’t been helped by Federico Chiesa’s improving standards, or Slot’s decision to deploy both Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike on the left wing, in addition to his most regular starter in that role, Cody Gakpo.
On this week’s Liverpool.com podcast, when our panelists were discussing Slot’s options on the left-hand side, Ngumoha’s name wasn’t even mentioned. In a nutshell, that’s his problem.
Ngumoha has not been helped by how tight matches have been this season; rarely has it felt like the right time to bed in an emerging talent.
At 17, the wideman needs minutes to continue his development. Would a January loan help solve that problem? Perhaps, although the counter argument is that more time at Liverpool’s elite facilities may be more beneficial than the rough and tumble of the Football League.
That is an increasingly prominent rationale across the Premier League, a theory supported by Phil Foden’s steady progression at Manchester City.
Perhaps next summer the sentiment will be different after two years on Liverpool’s books, but the club needs to ensure the demand for Ngumoha to be involved with the first team now does not diminish his long-term progression.
It’s a tricky balancing act, but Ngumoha moved to Liverpool as he felt it offered him the best chance of becoming an elite-level player. At an early stage of his career, how this situation is handled may be the first test of that decision.
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