Following his standout substitute appearance for Liverpool’s senior side against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha has emphasized his strong desire to accumulate as much playing time as possible—at any level—to avoid stagnation in his development.
The young winger entered the fray with around 15 minutes left in normal time during the victory at the City Ground. He immediately impressed by fearlessly challenging seasoned Premier League defenders, earning praise from Rio Ferdinand, who described his performance as “electrifying.”
Since that display, calls have grown louder for Ngumoha to receive more substantial minutes, potentially even a first Premier League start, as Arne Slot has largely limited him to cameo roles so far this season.
Although still qualified for Liverpool’s under-18 and under-21 teams, his regular inclusion in the first-team environment has meant minimal involvement at academy level recently.
In comments after the win (reported via BBC Sport and others), Ngumoha stressed his priority: staying active on the pitch to ensure steady progress.
He stated: “I feel like if you are not playing as much then you can stagnate, so I want to gain more minutes – whether that is Under-18s or 21s – I am still so young, so I am available to play, so any games I can play, I will.”
Unlike some prospects who might view youth-level football as beneath them after tasting senior action, Ngumoha shows no such reluctance—he’s eager for any opportunity.
This situation creates a clear dilemma: compared to last season, his overall minutes have actually decreased this term. He’s somewhat outgrown regular academy matches yet is being gradually eased into the senior squad.
Interestingly, his limited under-21 appearances (just a handful, per sources like Transfermarkt) have often occurred the day after first-team involvement—such as double-ups with Bournemouth/Leeds U21s a month ago and Brighton/West Brom U21s more recently.
Ngumoha has made it plain that he simply craves time on the field, but Slot treats him as a core part of the senior group— he’s been named in nearly every Premier League and Champions League matchday squad this season, showing reluctance to send him back to youth games regularly.
The argument for greater first-team integration is growing stronger by the match. While Slot’s caution about overexposing a young player to top-level demands is understandable, Ngumoha has so far appeared entirely at ease in senior football.
Liverpool possess a truly exceptional talent here, and the key now is ensuring they don’t limit his growth by restricting his opportunities to play
