Liverpool transfer news: Reds ‘rapidly accelerating’ towards contract announcement for “special talent”

Liverpool have reportedly agreed a new contract in principle with highly-rated teenager starlet Rio Ngumoha.

The 18-year-old winger was promoted to Liverpool’s first-team squad under former boss Arne Slot last season and played 29 times across all competitions, scoring three goals.

At the age of just 16 years and 361 days, Ngumoha became Liverpool’s youngest goalscorer when he netted a dramatic stoppage-time winner in a 3-2 Premier League win at Newcastle at the end of August 2025.

This term, Ngumoha has played in both of Liverpool’s opening two top-flight games under new boss Andoni Iraola and is expected to feature more predominantly in his starting lineup going forward.

Ngumoha currently has two years remaining on his contract and the Reds have been keen to tie the youngster down to a new deal to fend off reported interest from clubs including Bayern Munich.

Ngumoha set to sign new Liverpool contract amid Real, Barca interest

According to TEAMtalk, La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are also huge admirers of Ngumoha, but the player has made it clear that his immediate future remains on Merseyside.

The report adds that Liverpool are ‘rapidly accelerating’ towards an announcement that the winger is putting pen to paper on fresh terms at Anfield.

Ngumoha is set to be rewarded with a ‘significant improvement’ to his terms, with the new agreement reflecting his growing status as an important first-team player at the club.

The deal between both parties is said to have been agreed in principle, with sources indicating that Liverpool hope to make an announcement in the coming weeks.

Iraola outlines plans to develop Ngumoha as a right-winger

Ngumoha was labelled a “special talent” by Iraola last month, and the Spaniard coach has outlined plans to develop the winger on the right as well as his favoured left side.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Friday’s Premier League trip to Ipswich Town, Iraola said: “We know Rio can play on the left and showed his qualities. He needs to develop on the right so it gives him more options to play.

He is so young, because he wasn't incredible in the first game on the right we can't say he will never play on the right anymore. Victor has played more games on the left in his career but has maybe been even better on the right.

“Sometimes it's a matter of the connections they may around them. We trust the wingers we have, they will all get minutes. Rio looks already like a player in the Premier League because he's very good.”

While Ngumoha would prefer to operate on the left, he faces stern competition from both Cody Gakpo and club-record £123m signing Bradley Barcola for regular game time on that side of the pitch.