‘Not about beating five players’ - The ‘next step’ for Rio Ngumoha as Liverpool legend John Barnes explains what 17-year-old wonderkid needs from 2026-27 campaign

On the back of swapping Chelsea for Merseyside, Ngumoha made his senior debut in January 2025 - becoming the youngest player, aged 16 years and 135 days, to start a game for Premier League giants Liverpool.

Patience was required from there, under the guidance of Arne Slot, but more opportunities came his way during the 2025-26 campaign. A dramatic winner at Newcastle in August saw him make more history as the Reds’ youngest goalscorer.

He went on to grace Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup competition, allowing a place to be earned in England’s pre-tournament plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup. He made his Three Lions bow in a friendly date with New Zealand.

A bright international future is being predicted, while unlocking further potential at club level, with Reds icon Barnes - speaking in association with 247Bet - telling GOAL when asked what Ngumoha needs from the 2026-27 campaign: “The next step is for him to play regularly.

“Because of course he didn't play regularly and we automatically assumed that all of a sudden he was going to be playing for England and be scoring goals and be the best player in the world. Unfortunately we do that to our young players too much. And he's now not even in the team.

“So therefore we have to allow him to develop and to grow slowly. And to slowly get into the team and cement a place in the team first before we start talking about him being a main player for Liverpool or a top player for England.”

Ngumoha’s game is all about being direct and running at opponents. He has been accused of trying too much at times, but Liverpool are aware of the need to avoid reining him in - with his creative talent setting him apart from forwards that occasionally play safe.

Barnes added on Ngumoha being managed and moulded in the right way: “You want him to do what's right for the team. It's okay expressing himself and beating five players and not having any end product.

“So it depends on what you consider to be his game. Because of course he's got to score goals. It's okay just beating players all the time but then after beating players, beating players, beating players, how many goals are you going to score? How many goals are you going to create? So that's how you're going to be judged. Not how good you look and how many players you can beat.

“So it's not a question of reining him in. It's a question of giving him end product and making him a valuable part of the team from that perspective.”

Liverpool are lining up a new contract for Ngumoha, having first tied him to professional terms in September 2025. He will celebrate his 18th birthday on August 29 - the day that Andoni Iraola’s side take in a home date with Nottingham Forest.

They are set to open the new Premier League season away at Newcastle on August 23, with another new era being embraced. Ngumoha should have a prominent role to play in those plans, although he has already generated reports of transfer interest from Bundesliga title holders Bayern Munich.