TRANSFER: Star player agrees to a contract with Liverpool following Chelsea departure

After concluding the Premier League’s five-step investigation process to acquire the 16-year-old Chelsea winger Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool is nearing the final stages of the signing process, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Ngumoha has progressed through the Cobham academy, appearing in nine under-18 Premier League matches last season, contributing one assist and scoring one goal. The adolescent, who was highly regarded, declined scholarship offers from his childhood club and instead agreed to a transfer to Anfield, where he will sign his first professional contract.

Although the wide attacker is anticipated to be primarily involved in the under-18s and under-21s next season, he will participate in pre-season training with Arne Slot’s team. The acquisition is yet another step in the Reds’ efforts to enhance their reputation among emerging talent in England. In recent years, academy graduates such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cutis Jones, Conor Bradley, and Ben Doak have all made their way into the first team.

Chelsea’s esteemed academy continues to generate talent, following the recent years in which numerous players have established themselves in the highest tier of the game. The Secret Scout, a football analyst, has characterised Ngumoha, who plays for England at the junior level, as a “exceptional prospect.”

Although it is uncertain whether the youngster will mature into a player of the calibre necessary to compete for Liverpool’s first team, the ongoing transfer dispute between Chelsea and the Merseysiders indicates that he is considered to have the potential to do so. Romano, the transfer guru, verified on X that the Anfield team had prevailed in the competition to secure the player’s initial career signature:

Ben Doak, Harvey Elliott, and Bobby Clark have all joined the north-west outfit in recent years at a similar age to Ngumoha. They have all garnered opportunities after impressing in the club’s junior teams. The 2008-born forward will join Slot’s attacking cohort in the hopes of making an immediate impression, as he will be competing with players such as Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo on the left-hand side.

Even if there is ultimately no path for Ngumoha, his adamant determination to join Liverpool is a positive indicator for the Reds, as it indicates a belief among young players that there is a route to first-team action at Anfield.

Slot is reportedly keen in acquiring Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon, despite the fact that the Merseysiders have had a slow summer in terms of incoming deals. According to the Dutch manager, the England international is an ideal candidate to contend with the likes of Diaz and Nunez on the Reds’ left-hand side. He is anxious to make his first marquee signing.

The former Everton player is rumoured to have been captivated by the rumours, as he was raised as a Liverpool fan. He would be enthusiastic about pursuing a move if the suitors were to begin negotiations. Gordon was selected for England’s Euro 2024 squad as a result of his 35 Premier League appearances for the Magpies last season, during which he scored ten goals and provided 11 assists.