Bayern target shock signing of Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha - David Ornstein

Updated: 5 Jun 2026 17:21 BST | 4 min read

Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool, 2025/26 — © IMAGO

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Bayern Munich are exploring a shock deal for wonderkid Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha.

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The 17-year-old joined the Reds from the Chelsea academy in 2024 and established himself as a first-team member in pre-season last summer. Ngumoha went on to make an immediate impact for the senior side, scoring a late winner against Newcastle in August.

However, despite these heroics and the indifferent form of Netherlands international Cody Gakpo, he found game time increasingly hard to come by as the season went on.

Current ETV

Rio Ngumoha

F, M (L)

Liverpool

Rio Ngumoha

F, M (L)

Liverpool

ETV Range

€26.9M - €32.8M

Liverpool had refrained from signing a replacement for Luis Diaz when he joined Bayern for €70 million last summer, precisely because they did not want to block Ngumoha's path to the first team, but former head coach Arne Slot seemingly did not fully trust him.

It was only from February onwards that Ngumoha regularly returned to the first-team picture. When he was substituted by Slot after starting and producing an assist against Chelsea last month, the decision was met with boos from the Anfield crowd - a sign of the frustration with the manager, who ended up getting sacked last week.

Bayern target Ngumoha coup

While Ngumoha impressed in spurts, it is clear that Liverpool need to bolster their wide options this summer, which could potentially include signing a player in the 17-year-old's position.

However, there has never been a suggestion that the wonderkid could depart or be sacrificed - until now. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Bayern Munich are targeting a shock deal for the England youth international.

In a move driven by head coach Vincent Kompany and the club's board, the Bavarians are showing a "strong" interest in the teenage winger. In fact, it is claimed that Ngumoha has become their top target, even though Liverpool insist that he is not for sale.

The Reds youngster is one of numerous wide options Bayern are considering as they seek to sign a backup and competitor for the aforementioned Diaz, who enjoyed a remarkable debut season in Germany.

Bayern were previously pushing hard for the signing of Anthony Gordon, but the Newcastle winger ended up joining Barcelona in a whopping €80 million deal instead. The Munich outfit are reportedly not willing to spend more than €60m on a forward this summer.

The Gordon rejection has caused them to change up their transfer strategy slightly, with the club now targeting less high-profile options. Kompany reportedly wants young players he can develop.

Ngumoha certainly fits that profile, but a deal looks difficult given Liverpool's reluctance to sell the prospect. Indeed, Sky Germany reports that a proposed move for the 17-year-old already "collapsed" on yesterday, Thursday.

Reporter Florian Plettenberg states that Ngumoha was Bayern's "secret" target for the wing and that discussions took place for several weeks, culminating in a "full verbal agreement" with the player's camp. But the deal is now off "for the time being."

Instead, Bayern could be forced to finalise their signing of versatile PSV attacker Ismael Saibari, who has already approved a move to the Allianz Arena.

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