The father of Liverpool FC’s Anglo-Nigerian starlet, Rio Chima Ngumoha, has tipped the 16-year-old to break into the English Premier League champions’ first team next season, Completesports.com can exclusively report.
Rio’s arrival at Liverpool, just days after his 16th birthday, was hailed as a major coup for the Reds, who infuriated Chelsea with their successful move for one of England’s most gifted young players.
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Despite the controversy surrounding his transfer, Rio’s arrival at Anfield was met with considerable fanfare due to his exceptional talent. Although still only 16, the skilful winger has been fast-tracked by Liverpool owing to his immense potential.
Rather than featuring for the U17s, Rio is already a key member of the Liverpool U21 set-up. He opened his Premier League 2 account in late April during one of the U21s’ most crucial fixtures of the season. Facing the threat of missing out on the league play-offs, Rio stepped up with a vital brace to secure a 2–2 draw against Aston Villa.
He made his first-team debut for Liverpool in January 2025, starting against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup. That appearance made him the second-youngest player ever to debut for the club.
Speaking exclusively to Completesports.com, Rio’s father, Emeka Ngumoha, expressed confidence that his son will break into the senior team this season.
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“Rio trained a lot with the first team last season and made giant strides. With the way he is progressing, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before he makes his Premier League debut — and once he does, there’ll be no stopping him,” Emeka Ngumoha said.
Should Rio feature in the Premier League for Liverpool, he would become the first Nigerian player to play for the Reds in the competition. Jordan Ibe and Taiwo Awoniyi came closest before him, but neither made a Premier League appearance for the club.
By Johnny Ogbah in the UK
