Rio Ngumoha progressed through Chelsea's Cobham academy from age eight to 16 before Liverpool signed him in September. He scored a last-minute winner for Liverpool away at Newcastle and will sign his first professional contract on his 17th birthday. His family and advisors considered multiple Premier League options, but he chose Liverpool believing the pathway to the first team would be clearer. At Chelsea he was widely regarded as the best in his age group yet felt he was not being fast-tracked, missing opportunities to play above his age group despite significant contract offers.
From the age of eight to 16, Rio Ngumoha was a Blue. A Chelsea Blue. But there is no doubting it now - the forward is a Red after scoring Liverpool's last-minute winner away at Newcastle. All the talk going into Monday's game was about whether Liverpool might sign Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, who remains in exile, after a 110m bid was rejected earlier this month. But Ngumoha was the post-match headliner.
According to multiple sources, Ngumoha, who was born in Newham in London, decided to leave Chelsea because he believed the pathway on offer was better at Liverpool. Multiple Premier League options were weighed up by his family and close advisors. At Chelsea, Ngumoha was regarded as the best player in his age group, but he still was not sure about whether he would get enough early chances in the first team.
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