Michael Owen urges Rio Ngumoha to stay at Liverpool and avoid move to Germany

"Anfield" legend Michael Owen shared his thoughts on the future of 17-year-old talent Rio Ngumoha. Reports suggest that the young winger is currently attracting interest from German giants Bayern Munich. According to Owen, it would be more prudent for Ngumoha to establish himself at Liverpool before considering a path similar to that of Jude Bellingham or Jadon Sancho. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

Rio Ngumoha has been attracting attention from specialists with his brilliant performances since moving from the Chelsea academy to Merseyside in 2024. Last season, he appeared in 29 matches across all competitions, demonstrating his immense potential. The young footballer's first-team debut and goals suggest he could become a key part of the squad by the 2026-27 season.

Bayern interest and the issue of competition

In an interview with Goal.com, Owen compared Ngumoha's situation to the examples of Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho. He noted that Bellingham's move from Birmingham City to Borussia Dortmund was a step up. Sancho, on the other hand, headed to Germany because he lacked sufficient playing time at Manchester City. Ngumoha, however, is already at one of the strongest clubs in the world.

However, the competition within the Liverpool squad may give the young player pause. While the possibility of Mohamed Salah leaving the team could open a door for Ngumoha, the club management is planning expensive transfers for the wing positions. This could make it harder for the 17-year-old winger to break into the first team.

Although Bayern Munich has recently added stars like Michael Olise to their ranks, they continue to monitor young talents in the English market. The Munich side views Ngumoha as a future key attacking force. However, Liverpool management has no intention of letting their trainee go and considers him part of the club's long-term project.

According to Owen, staying at Liverpool is not just a comfort zone for Ngumoha, but an opportunity to grow at the highest level. If he can prove himself in Merseyside, his reputation will rise faster than if he moved to any other club in Europe. For now, the player has not reached a final decision on which direction is best for his development.