Liverpool are approaching a delicate point in contract negotiations with Rio Ngumoha, as the winger continues to attract attention from top clubs across Europe.

After the Reds moved to pinch him from Chelsea in 2024, Ngumoha has developed brilliantly and has been a fully-fledged member of the Liverpool first-team for the past year.

Bayern Munich already tried to sign Ngumoha last summer, and according to journalist Christian Falk, they even went as far as holding talks with the player’s representatives. With a contract still unsigned at Liverpool, Falk says Bayern have not given up on taking the youngster to Germany next summer.

Bayern are still in for Ngumoha

If some Liverpool supporters had expected Ngumoha’s contract extension to be a formality, then they have been proven completely wrong.

The teenager had a clear vision for his future when he swapped Chelsea for Liverpool two years ago, and he and his agents are obviously assessing their options very carefully before committing to the Reds.

As Falk told Bayern Insider on Friday, this has included speaking to Bayern, and the German champions are reportedly still in contact with Ngumoha over a potential swoop in 2027.

“This is true [that Bayern were prepared to pay €70m last summer], this is the interesting point. As you see they were searching on the left wing,” he said.

“We talked about Bradley Barcola, they were in contact with him and they were also in contact with Liverpool’s big, big talent. They were there, there were negotiations, his brother talked to Bayern Munich, but it was a difficult situation for Bayern.

“It was not clear if Liverpool would sell him or not and the price would have been very, very high. But they think he’s a good option for Bayern Munich, that’s why he is still in the list.

“At the end they had to decide with [Ismael] Saibari. Rio would have been very complicated, so they made the easier way at the end. But Bayern Munich has one on his focus and they are still in talks, and he could be a solution for the summer.”

If Ngumoha holds out until the summer and still won’t put pen to paper with Liverpool, then the Reds will almost certainly be forced to sell him rather than lose him for nothing in 2028. This is delicately balanced, and though Liverpool should still hold the best cards here, it is easy to see why the likes of Bayern have confidence that they could still muscle in.