Ngumoha: Liverpool superstar who is about to shine in the Premier League

Despite spending £269 million in the summer to introduce powerful players such as Wilz, Flynnpole and Ekitic, Liverpool's most exciting new star this season is a young forward in the growth stage - the weight of this sentence is self-evident.

This is the craze surrounding the 16-year-old forward Leo Ngumoha, and everyone was amazed at the extraordinary talent he showed at a young age. Of course, hype is one thing, and stadium performance is another, and Ngumoha is using actual combat to prove why fans are full of expectations for his future.

Liverpool played two preseason games with Athletic Bilbao at Anfield on Monday, August 4. Different starting lineups were sent in the two games, with main players, potential first-team members and marginal players mixed into teams, aiming to give Slot a better understanding of the players' state before the new season.

Engumoha started in the first game, and even ignited the enthusiasm of the fans on the scene with his performance before the audience had just entered the game. McAllister regained the ball in the middle circle and passed through Engumoha who was in front. The young man dribbled the ball into the penalty area. Within two minutes of the game, he calmly pushed the ball and sent the ball into the bottom corner. Three minutes later, Ngumoha dribbled the ball again, passing it lightly to Nunez, who widened the lead to two goals from close range. The fans of the audience shouted "Leo, Leo, Leo" without any concealing their enthusiasm for the new star, which made Ngumoha, who had not yet completed his Premier League debut, continue to rise in popularity.

The Nigerian-born striker is good at cutting in from the left wing. Liverpool realized Ngumoha’s potential a year ago and recruited the teenager after graduating from Chelsea’s youth training camp. He spent eight years in London, and the transfer sparked tensions between the two clubs. The Daily Mail reported at the time that Chelsea was angry at Liverpool's poaching of "a generation of geniuses" and filed a complaint with the arbitration court for compensation, but the final ruling was not announced to the public.

Slott also recognizes Ngumoha's great potential. In the December 2024 Liverpool's League Cup confrontation with Southampton, he put Ngumoha on the roster (although not playing). In January 2025, Ngumoha made her professional debut in the FA Cup 4-0 victory over Akerlington Stanley, becoming the youngest FA Cup player in Liverpool's history and the youngest first-team starter at the age of 16 years and 135 days.

If the 2024/25 season is just showing its strength, then this summer's preseason will allow Ngumoha to step directly on the fast lane to Liverpool's first team. In the Asian tournament against AC Milan and Yokohama Mariners, the left winger played an important role: although he lost to Milan 2-4, he contributed an assist; in the 87th minute of the 3-1 victory over Yokohama Mariners, he scored and scored in person. In his Premier League debut against Newcastle on Monday night, Ngumoha, who came on as a substitute, scored the winning goal in injury time, bringing a stunning end to the fierce battle at St. James Park.

Slott tried to downplay the rookie’s influence (consider he is still in the growth stage), but with each stunning performance, this low-key became increasingly difficult. After defeating Yokohama Mariners, Slot said: "Although he only played two preseason games and did not compete with Premier League opponents, the influence he showed in training and games is indeed encouraging. The intensity of the Premier League + Champions League three-day game is another matter, but as long as he maintains his current performance, his appearance for Liverpool will never be a flash in the pan - the key is to continue to play a stable performance. "Slot added: "Leo's every appearance in the preseason is proving himself. "

For Ngumoha, who will turn 17 in four days, the current goal is to enter the first team, but he is not rushing to achieve success: "I am still young and don't want to boost growth. But at the same time, I want to show my ability to the coach, stay humble and not complacent, and pursue greater achievements only for individuals and clubs. "