Arsenal interested in shock transfer move for Liverpool star | Football

Liverpool forward Rio Ngumoha is reportedly attracting interest from Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Ngumoha made his senior Liverpool debut aged just 16 against Accrington Stanley in January 2025 – becoming the club’s youngest-ever player to feature in the FA Cup.

The winger, now aged 18, has gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular at Anfield and is widely considered to be among the brightest young talents in the English game.

This season, Ngumoha has featured in all but one of Liverpool’s three opening four matches in the Premier League while also starting in the side’s Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid last week.

This hasn’t put an end to speculation over Ngumoha’s future, though, with top clubs in the Bundesliga, namely Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, keeping close tabs on the situation in the summer.

And while Liverpool stood in the way of Ngumoha’s potential departure ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, English champions Arsenal have emerged as a possible destination for the attacker.

During a wide-ranging Q&A with The Athletic, highly respected football correspondent David Ornstein said he had heard from his sources that Arsenal were interested and the teenager was well ‘liked’ at the Emirates.

However, he was keen to stress there was ‘no suggestion’ that Ngumoha had grown unhappy on Merseyside, while adding that Liverpool were unlikely to give Arsenal a free run at signing the England international.

In fact, the Reds are believed to be keen to tie the sought-after teen down with a new contract in order to fend off interest from within the Premier League and overseas.

Ngumoha’s current contract on Merseyside runs through to June 2028.

Interestingly, Ornstein claims that Bayern Munich had identified Ngumoha as a ‘top target’ over the summer to bolster their options on the wing, and the Bundesliga giants carried out extensive background work ahead of a proposed move.

But an offer did not materialise as Liverpool and Andoni Iraola had no intention of opening the door to his departure.

After making his Champions League debut versus Atleti last week, Ngumoha lifted the lid on his emotions when he found out he would be starting at Anfield.

‘It was crazy,’ Ngumoha, who came through Chelsea’s academy ranks before signing for Liverpool, explained.

‘In the morning when I knew when the gaffer put out the team, I saw my name there. I was like, “Yeah, today’s going to be a good day!”

‘A first start in the Champions League, especially at Anfield and against a good side.

‘To get the three points and just hear the fans, like I said the other day, Anfield was roaring, I couldn’t ask for much more.’

On this relationship with Liverpool boss Iraola, Ngumoha added: ‘For the gaffer to put faith in me and to show me that he believes in my abilities and qualities to help the team get a win is really positive.

‘I couldn’t ask for much more.’

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