Liverpool teenage forward Rio Ngumoha signs first professional deal

Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha has signed his first professional contract with the Premier League champions.

Ngumoha, 17, scored a 100th-minute winner against Newcastle on his Premier League debut last month.

Liverpool have not confirmed the length of Ngumoha's new deal.

The forward left Chelsea's academy to join the Reds in September 2024 and has made five senior appearances for the club.

In January, Ngumoha became the youngest player to start a match for Liverpool - aged 16 years and 135 days old - in a 4-0 win over Accrington in the FA Cup.

He was also handed a Champions League debut this month when the Reds beat Atletico Madrid at Anfield.

Ngumoha has featured for England at various junior levels and made his debut for the under-19s on 3 September.

He was regarded as the best player in his age group at Chelsea but moved to Liverpool because he believed there was a better pathway to first-team football.

This was despite attempted assurances and several significant future contracts having been offered by the Blues.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot included Ngumoha in his first-team picture in pre-season this year, starting him against Athletic Club in August.

Playing from the left wing, Ngumoha scored just two minutes into the encounter and he left the field to a standing ovation midway through the second half.

That performance came on the back of an assist against AC Milan and goal against Yokohama F. Marinos in Asian friendlies.