Nigerian-born youngster, Rio Chima Ngumoha, has been sensationally saddled with the task of filling the shoes vacated by Egyptian icon, Mohamed Salah, at Liverpool of England.
Sports247 gathered that this is a sequel to a preference already expressed by The Reds’ new coach, Antonio Iraola, who prefers lining Ngumoha out on the right flank, although he is a natural left footer.
However, the former Chelsea youth team player, who has set several marks as a fast-growing player with Liverpool and England’s national team, keeps on showing that he has what it takes to dazzle anywhere on the pitch.
Ngumoha played down the right flank during his England debut in a pre-World Cup friendly versus New Zealand, which earned him superlatives and an additional boost to his growing credentials.
The youngster with a Nigerian father and mother from Guadeloupe also gained transfer interest from Bayern Munich of Germany this summer, but Liverpool are desperate to keep the lad, whose football hero is Neymar of Brazil.
A lengthy featurised profile for Ngumoha by Tribal Football noted in part, “As an 18-year-old England international, he enters the season with a genuine opportunity to fight for a regular starting spot.
“With the arrival of Andoni Iraola, there is also the question of which side of the pitch will be most valuable (for) the Havering-born winger, whose parents are of Nigerian and Guadeloupean descent.
“(Ngumoha) is naturally a left winger, but the new manager has tried him on the right both in pre-season and at the start of the campaign. That is the position vacated by Mohamed Salah.
“Stepovers, rapid changes of direction, a low centre of gravity and the ability to keep the ball under control even at high speed make him a very dangerous winger.
“This dynamism is key for wingers under Iraola (whose) high-intensity system also tests Ngumoha’s tactical flexibility, though he is naturally a left winger who likes to cut inside onto his stronger right foot.
“However, if in the future his playing time were to be addressed through a loan or possible transfer, the German Bundesliga would probably suit him best in terms of playing style.
“At clubs like RB Leipzig or Borussia Dortmund, who rely on intense pressing and quick transitions, his explosiveness and low centre of gravity could find ideal conditions.”
Sports247 reports further that Ngumoha is already being tipped to become one of the most exciting wingers of his generation, as he possesses qualities that are rare in an 18-year-old winger.
