18-year-old winger Rio Ngumoa has expressed his willingness to sign a new contract with Liverpool following an impressive start to the season. Throughout the summer, Arsenal tracked the situation surrounding the talented player, but the Merseyside club intends to offer him an extension to his current deal, which runs until 2028.
The former Chelsea academy product spoke to reporters after Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Brentford in the Premier League.
It all depends on my agent right now. I think everything is going well. I'm not too sure, to be honest. I just let my football do the talking, enjoy playing, and everything else is secondary. I’m just playing for Liverpool and hope to keep it going.
Ngumoa’s transfer valuation has already risen to €39.2 million. Liverpool’s manager Andoni Iraola acknowledges the winger's immense potential but points out that he is still a developing player. The coach is careful with his game time and is focusing on improving his decision-making, as he has registered just two goals and one assist in 38 appearances for the first team.
I think he knows he's elite in certain areas. If you want someone in a one-on-one situation, Rio is one of the best players you could choose. There are areas where he needs to improve, particularly off the ball. He needs to get used to the physical demands of the Premier League. We need to help him because, fortunately for us, he is not a finished product yet. He is still able to progress, being just 18, and I hope we can aid him in that process.
While in England's camp for the Nations League matches, Ngumoa expressed his admiration for the management team at Liverpool.
The manager really helps a lot, as does the entire coaching staff – I can't say enough good things about them. But I love it. I’m capable of playing on both the left and right flanks, which has given me another tool to break down defenders.
