Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey has backed teenage prodigy Rio Ngumoha to eventually leave Anfield for Bayern Munich, claiming the German giants present an irresistible pathway for young English talent.
However, the ex-England international insists the 18-year-old must first establish himself on Merseyside before making any major move.
Emile Heskey: Rio Ngumoha could be tempted by Bayern Munich
Speaking in an interview with Rekatochklart.com, Heskey addressed the growing transfer interest surrounding the Liverpool winger:
“There will always be temptation when clubs like Arsenal are coming around, and especially Bayern,” Heskey said.
“The reason I say Bayern is because Rio will be looking at Kane, he’ll be looking at Olise and he’ll be looking at Jude and Jobe Bellingham’s going over to Germany and doing well, and you can’t not do well at Bayern.
“So there will be that sort of temptation, but as a young lad you always wanna try and do well first where you are before you actually start branching out. So I do believe that he’ll want to stake his claim and really cement himself at Liverpool first and then move on.”
Heskey also highlighted Ngumoha’s international potential: “Rio could definitely be a star in the Premier League, and the funny thing is he’ll be looking, alongside all these young lads at the next international tournament which is the Euros and he’s 18. The next Euros is what, 2 years away, am I right? He’ll be at a ripe age to be breaking into the national team, being a mainstay, but he needs to do it at club level and I do feel he’s got the ability to do that. He’s a fantastic dribbler but now he’s really got to be looking at his end product in terms of goals, assists and his contribution to the team.”
Bayern Munich and Arsenal have monitored Rio Ngumoha
Ngumoha has attracted attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs since leaving Chelsea’s academy for Liverpool.
Bayern Munich have been credited with a strong interest in the winger, while Arsenal have also monitored his development.
Liverpool, however, regard Ngumoha as an important part of their long-term plans after handing him his senior breakthrough and watching him produce several eye-catching performances.
The major question could be how regularly he plays.
Liverpool have strengthened their attacking options with the additions of Muñoz and Bradley Barcola, increasing the competition Ngumoha faces for minutes.
At just 18, there is still plenty of time for the winger to establish himself at Anfield. But if regular first-team opportunities prove difficult to secure, interest from clubs capable of offering a clearer pathway could become increasingly significant.
For now, Heskey believes Ngumoha’s priority should be proving himself at Liverpool — even if he ultimately sees the youngster’s career taking him elsewhere.