Liverpool's summer spending on wide attackers left Rio Ngumoha fighting for minutes, but the 18-year-old says talks over a new contract at Anfield are heading in the right direction.
Liverpool signed Victor Muñoz early in the transfer window before completing a deal for Bradley Barcola shortly before deadline day, a package reportedly worth up to $166 million (£123 million). The arrivals left Andoni Iraola's squad stacked with young wingers competing for minutes alongside Ngumoha, whose current Liverpool contract runs until 2028.
Ngumoha has not started a Premier League match since the opening day of the season, before Barcola's arrival, but he confirmed that discussions over a new deal are progressing. "To be fair, that is all with my agent now," he said. "I think it is all going well. I am not too sure. I just let my football do the talking at the end of the day. I enjoy playing, and all of that stuff is in the back of my mind really. I just play for the club, and hopefully I can carry on doing well."
The teenager left Chelsea for Liverpool in 2024, partly because of a crowded pathway at his previous club, making the current squad depth a familiar challenge.
Ngumoha also spoke about adapting to a new role on the right wing, having previously favored the left. "I am enjoying the challenge and to be able to play off both sides is important," he said. "Do I have a favorite position? No, not anymore. I am getting to grips with the right wing now, and I am liking it. It gives me a bit more unpredictability. I have been working hard on the training pitch."
He credited his time with England for helping the transition. "I went away with England, and I was playing on the right, so I learned a lot there as well. Watching the likes of Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka. I took on board some of the stuff they told me, and it's really helpful."
Ngumoha described working under Iraola and what the manager wants from him in wide areas. "Andoni wants me to take on players in one-v-one duels. He wants me to be threatening. Off the ball, he wants me to help the team however I can. I am enjoying working with him and enjoying improving."
On the competition for places, he added: "Whether I start or come off the bench, I have the same mentality. I know the club are just trying to look after me. We have some of the best attackers in the world, so competing for places is not easy. It is all about healthy competition and we all just want to make the team win at the end of the day. So whatever minutes we get, we can't be sulking, we just have to go out and show what we can do."
