Rio Ngumoha was reportedly unsatisfied with the game time he was afforded under Arne Slot last season, which may have motivated Bayern Munich‘s interest.
Liverpool have already dismissed any suggestion of Ngumoha leaving for Bayern, but the cause for the 17-year-old’s links to the Bundesliga champions remains a mystery.
Having enjoyed an outstanding breakthrough campaign in which he made 29 first-team appearances and became the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer as he netted twice and assisted once, he went on to earn his England debut.
But according to BBC Sport‘s Sami Mokbel, “it is understood there was some dissatisfaction over his level of game time” under Slot last season.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, March 18, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha on the bench before the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Galatasaray A.?. at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
That, Mokbel explains, has led “a number of clubs throughout Europe” including Bayern to have “sensed an opportunity to prise Ngumoha away from Anfield.”
Liverpool are “adamant they will not sell” and the expectation is that, having now left the England camp ahead of the World Cup, the winger will join up with Andoni Iraola‘s squad for the start of pre-season in a month’s time.
How often did Rio Ngumoha play under Arne Slot?
3E80PGB Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham in Liverpool, England, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
How many minutes did Rio Ngumoha play in 2025/26?
Rio Ngumoha was carefully managed, playing 952 minutes out of a maximum 5,040 minutes across the matches he was included in. He also logged the most Premier League minutes (552) of any player aged 17 or under.
Total Minutes: 952
Max: 5,040
Ngumoha featured in 18.9% of the total available match minutes.
Ngumoha played 952 minutes for the first team throughout 2025/26, along with two starts for the U21s, including the most minutes of any player aged 17 or under in the Premier League.
But it wasn’t until March that the teenager made his first league start of five – in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham at Anfield.
He only became a regular in the side around the start of 2026, which saw him feature in 20 of a possible 27 games from the 4-1 thrashing of Barnsley in the FA Cup on January 12.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, May 9, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha is greeted by head coach Arne Slot (R) and first assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff (L) as he is substituted off during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League back in October was in fact the only time Ngumoha was not named in the matchday squad from Liverpool’s 57 games in all competitions.
For all of his errors throughout a miserable campaign that ended with the sack, Slot was widely praised for his management of a precocious talent, ensuring he did not suffer burnout despite wider calls for him to start.
However, a player of Ngumoha’s talent could understandably view things differently given the Dutchman has on more than one occasion namechecked Barcelona‘s Lamine Yamal – only 13 months older – as one of the standout players in the sport.
Clearly the appointment of Iraola could change the landscape for a number of players and that could certainly be the case for Ngumoha.
“The former Bournemouth manager has shown a willingness to rely on young players with Eli Junior Kroupi, Rayan and Dean Hujisen, all proof of the Spaniard’s faith in youth,” Mokbel writes.
“Liverpool are determined to ensure he will be making the same impression he has made on his international manager with his new club boss in July.”