Liverpool have signed some huge talents this summer but they already have some young stars ready to make a difference.
The Reds have been praised all summer for their transfer business due to the amount of top quality additions they have made to their team, with almost all instantly going into their starting XI.
However, they also have a plethora of young talent coming through the academy, with some now even being regular parts of the first team.
One of the latest players to make the step up is 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, with the Englishman shining in pre-season and looking like he might get chances this campaign.
The winger looks to be someone way beyond his years and has impressed almost everyone at the club, none more so than his captain Virgil van Dijk.
The Dutchman certainly had high expectations of Ngumoha, with the 34-year-old hoping that he will play a key part this season.
Rio Ngumoha in action for Liverpool during their pre-season friendly against Athletic Bilbao at Anfield.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
What Virgil van Dijk expects from Rio Ngumoha this season
What Liverpool fans have to be very careful with is asking too much of Ngumoha because, at the end of the day, he is only 16.
However, he is simply that good that overhyping him is really hard to not do, although those associated with Liverpool do not seem too bothered by it.
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In fact, van Dijk seems to think he can handle the pressure, with the defender revealing exactly what he expects from the teenager this year.
“He’s brave, quick, raw, still only 16-years-old, I think he turns 17 soon but still it’s very special, isn’t it?” van Dijk said on the Men in Blazers YouTube channel.
“If you turn it around and think where I was at 16, but that is how things work. We want him to improve, we want him to develop, stay fit and learn from the best and be playing at the highest level.
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“Hopefully he can be important for this club and hopefully in the near future.”
Ngumoha did not feature in Liverpool’s first game of the season against Bournemouth, although he was on the bench, with the 16-year-old very likely to get some minutes this season.
Rio Ngumoha is the perfect understudy to Cody Gakpo
As seen against Bournemouth, Cody Gakpo looks like he will be a really important player for Liverpool this season, with the Dutchman showing great composure when scoring his goal.
And, the best thing is that Ngumoha offers something a lot different to the 26-year-old, allowing Arne Slot to switch up his tactics when he sees fit.
Rather than driving inside with the ball before curling it into the corner, Ngumoha likes to try and take players on a little more, with the Englishman more than comfortable on either foot.
Whether he cuts inside like Gakpo, or drives to the byline, as seen in pre-season, he looks like he will be the perfect substitute towards the end of the game, with his frightening pace and trickery ready to cause full-backs real problems when given the chance.