Liverpool and Rio Ngumoha continue contract talks after Villarreal comeback
Liverpool and Rio Ngumoha are discussing a new deal after the 18-year-old set up two goals against Villarreal. His current contract runs until 2028.
Liverpool and Rio Ngumoha are continuing talks over a new contract after the 18-year-old supplied two assists in Tuesday’s 4-3 Champions League comeback against Villarreal. The negotiations matter because his current deal runs until 2028; neither Liverpool nor Ngumoha has announced an extension.
Fabrizio Romano described active discussions over a long-term deal and said both the club and Ngumoha want him to stay, according to Empire of the Kop’s account of a video he posted on X. BBC Sport separately reported that talks were continuing. Neither report gave a date for an agreement.
Ngumoha’s contract and the talks with Liverpool
Ngumoha signed his existing Liverpool contract in September 2025, weeks after his 17th birthday, BBC Sport reported. It ties him to the club until 2028. Empire of the Kop gives the end date as June 2028 and says he became eligible for a longer-term deal after turning 18 in late August.
Ngumoha said at the weekend that negotiations were going well and were being handled by his agent, according to BBC Sport. That account and Romano’s reported comments point to talks still in progress, rather than completed terms. The length and financial terms of any proposed new contract have not been made public.
How Ngumoha shaped the Villarreal comeback
The contract update follows a record-breaking night for Ngumoha. BBC Sport said he became Liverpool’s youngest player to score or assist in the Champions League, aged 18 years and 52 days. He registered two assists, had 12 touches in Villarreal’s penalty area and completed seven of eight dribbles.
Liverpool’s win and Ngumoha’s assists were covered in NewsJaws’ report on the Villarreal comeback. The latest development concerns his contract: Liverpool and the winger are still discussing the terms of his future at the club.
Ngumoha had also discussed his development on Liverpool’s right flank after the Brentford match on Saturday. He told BBC Sport he had improved there since the Newcastle game at the start of the season and said: ‘I like playing on both sides. It gives me another tool in the toolbox.’
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola praised the winger’s attitude while cautioning that his progress would have uneven spells. ‘There will be ups and downs in the process, but I’m happy because attitude-wise I think he’s in a great place,’ he said, according to BBC Sport.
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Sources and context
- ‘Absolutely…’ – Romano issues Rio Ngumoha contract update after virtuoso Liverpool displayEmpire of the Kop (article distributed by Yahoo Sports)
- Liverpool 4-3 Villarreal: Rio Ngumoha shines in comeback winBBC Sport
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.