Liverpool Set to Secure ‘Untouchable’ Rio Ngumoha Amid Gakpo's Spurs Interest
Liverpool are closing in on what they see as one of the most important pieces of business of their summer – tying Rio Ngumoha to a new, improved contract.
The club now “fully expect” to reach an agreement with the teenager, who has gone from promising prospect to central pillar of Liverpool’s future in the space of a season. His emergence was one of the few bright sparks in a campaign that never really caught fire at Anfield.
While senior names faltered, Ngumoha’s direct running and fearlessness lit up games and sharpened a question many fans were already asking: why was he not trusted more ahead of the struggling Cody Gakpo?
That question has gained extra weight as the transfer market has shifted around him.
Bayern links fade as Liverpool draw a line
Ngumoha’s rise inevitably attracted outside interest. Bayern Munich were strongly linked earlier in the summer, a move that would have sent shockwaves through Anfield given his age and ceiling.
Liverpool moved quickly to shut that down. Bayern have since turned to alternative targets, and the message from Merseyside has hardened.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano underlined the club’s stance this week, describing Ngumoha as “untouchable” at Liverpool and stressing that he was “never close” to joining Bayern. Inside Anfield, he is viewed as an “absolutely crucial” part of both the present and the long-term project.
The stance is clear: whatever happens with other wide players, Ngumoha is going nowhere.
Romano has also reported that Liverpool want to add two wingers to the squad, particularly if Gakpo secures a move to Tottenham. Even in that scenario, Ngumoha’s status does not change. He is seen as a foundation piece, not a makeweight.
New deal to reflect rapid rise
TEAMtalk now report that Liverpool are ready to back up that rhetoric with a contract that reflects Ngumoha’s new reality.
When he first arrived, the club handed him the maximum three-year deal allowed for a teenager. That is no longer enough. According to the report, Liverpool are preparing a significantly improved agreement, complete with a major pay rise.
The proposed contract is understood to include performance-related clauses, with increases linked to international appearances as Liverpool plan for Ngumoha to step fully into senior football and, eventually, the international stage.
Crucially, the club are said to “no longer fear” losing him to a European heavyweight. After a summer of whispers and speculation, Liverpool believe they have steadied the situation and are close to formalising it.
Gakpo eyes exit as Spurs circle
While one winger looks set to commit his future to Anfield, another appears to be edging towards the door.
A separate TEAMtalk report claims Gakpo has told Liverpool he wants to join Tottenham Hotspur. His representatives are understood to have already agreed personal terms in principle with Spurs and have now spoken directly to Liverpool’s hierarchy to underline the player’s stance.
Gakpo has reportedly made it clear he does not see his long-term future at Anfield and wants the chance to relaunch his career in north London.
If Liverpool do cash in, the picture on the flanks changes again. Two new wide signings are on the agenda, Ngumoha is ring-fenced, and a reshaped forward line begins to take shape.
One thing, though, seems settled: in the next version of Liverpool, Rio Ngumoha is not just along for the ride. He is being built around.
