Lewis Steele believes that a new contract at Liverpool for Rio Ngumoha will be a matter of when and not if, with the player seemingly determined to remain at Anfield for the long-term.
The 18-year-old was simply outstanding in the Champions League win over Villarreal on Tuesday night, putting in the kind of performance which’ll have European giants on alert for any potential fractures in his relationship with the Reds.
His current deal runs to June 2028, and Fabrizio Romano indicated over the past couple of days that ‘active conversations’ are ongoing over a prospective extension which’d keep him on Merseyside for another while yet.
Steele addresses Ngumoha contract question
In a Liverpool Confidential Q&A for the Daily Mail, Steele was asked if he had an update on Ngumoha’s contract situation, replying: ‘The 18-year-old’s agent is in talks with Liverpool over renewing his contract and there is no reason for fans to worry.
‘Ngumoha is on course to extend his deal (which currently runs until 2028) and, as revealed in Confidential a month ago, sources close to the player have told us he loves the club and wants to commit his long-term future.
‘It would seem a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’ despite interest from Arsenal, Bayern Munich and other European clubs.’
All the signs point towards Ngumoha signing a new deal
With both Romano and Steele claiming that Ngumoha and Liverpool have a mutual desire to extend the winger’s contract, there are definitely positive signs that he’ll renew his commitment to the Reds beyond the summer after next.
The teenager is currently on the lower end of the first-team pay scale on £35,000 per week (Capology), but any new deal would surely see him increase that substantially to better reflect his importance to Andoni Iraola’s side.
Crucially, the 18-year-old is enjoying plenty of game-time at Anfield, featuring in nine of our 11 matches so far this season and starting five (Transfermarkt).
That show of faith will hopefully convince Ngumoha that his head coach firmly believes in him and that he’ll become an automatic starter for Liverpool in time.
There hasn’t yet any indication as to how far talks over a new deal have progessed, so speculation could continue for another while yet, but all the signs appear to point towards him penning a bumper new contract in the next few months.
If indeed that happens, it’d represent a huge win for Julian Ward in the early part of his reign as LFC sporting director.