'I was England's next big thing like Rio Ngumoha

'I was England's next big thing like Rio Ngumoha - here's my crucial advice for Liverpool starlet'

Rio Ngumoha is being tipped for the very top after bursting onto the scene with a stunning goal on his league debut for Liverpool - and a Premier League icon has offered the teenager some advice

Few players can truly grasp the weight of being hailed as a future superstar, but Darren Bent does. The former Premier League striker once carried the same burden, tipped in his youth as England's next great hope.

For Rio Ngumoha, that spotlight arrived early. In August, just days before turning 17, he etched his name into Liverpool's history books with a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Newcastle. In an instant, he became the club's youngest-ever goalscorer - a moment that signalled the arrival of a prodigy potentially destined for English football greatness.

Fans, pundits, and even team-mates have been left stunned by his maturity and talent at such a tender age. But brilliance, inevitably, invites expectation, and expectation can quickly become a heavy burden.

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Bent, who walked the same tightrope between potential and pressure while breaking through at Ipswich, has offered some crucial advice for the Reds starlet. "He's got to surround himself with good people," the 41-year-old said speaking exclusively to ECHO. "I think that's really important.

"He should surround himself with people who are going to keep him grounded. Because again, especially nowadays with social media, fans will turn you into a superstar before you become a superstar.

"You've got hundreds and thousands of followers, millions of followers. You play for one of the biggest clubs in the world. People are going to be saying all sorts to you.

"You need to have people around you... who are going to tell you maybe when you're not pulling your weight, when maybe you need to be told this isn't good enough. You need these people around you... people that are going to tell you what you need to hear as opposed to what you want to hear."

Bent also warned Ngumoha to be cautious of those who dangle glittering offers, but whose intentions are rooted not in his success, but in their own gain.

"You don't need to be making any new friends because trust me, they're going to come. They're going out the woodwork," he added. "They're going to be offering you everything, saying that they can look after you, they can do this for you, they can do that for you, when they know they've only got their self-interest at heart."

Bent, now a pundit for talkSPORT, is one of just 34 players to have scored 100 or more Premier League goals. He enjoyed notable spells at Tottenham, Aston Villa, Charlton, and Sunderland over the course of a lengthy career in the top flight.

He is also remembered for one of the most infamous goals in English football history: in 2009, while playing for the Black Cats against Liverpool, his shot struck a beach ball thrown onto the pitch by a Reds fan, ricocheting past a bewildered Pepe Reina.

London-born Ngumoha made the switch to Liverpool in 2024 after spending eight years rising through Chelsea's academy. Long regarded as the jewel of the Blues' youth setup, he became a hot commodity when Chelsea failed to secure him on fresh terms - leaving the door open for Liverpool to swoop.

The move sparked fury at Stamford Bridge. The Blues - who are still seeking compensation for the loss of their prized talent - reportedly banned Liverpool scouts from attending Chelsea youth matches in the fallout, while club legend John Terry - who had spent years mentoring Ngumoha - confessed he was "gutted" at losing him, even drawing comparisons between the youngster and Eden Hazard.

To say Chelsea's loss has been Liverpool's gain would be an understatement. Ngumoha has quickly integrated into the Reds' first-team setup under Arne Slot, turning heads with flashes of his prodigious talent in cameo appearances off the bench.

Competition for places is fierce, especially after Liverpool splashed roughly £200million on Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike this summer. Yet Ngumoha has already made five appearances this season - and, intriguingly, could notch a sixth when Liverpool face Chelsea on Saturday.

If Ngumoha's steep trajectory continues, the spotlight that looms over him will unquestionably transform from a source of pressure into the stage for a remarkable career. But as Bent has wisely noted, prodigious talent alone isn't enough - you have to navigate it carefully.

With guidance from the right people, a club that believes wholeheartedly in his abilities, and a fiery determination that has already turned heads, the young forward isn't just chasing potential - he's beginning to define it.

For Liverpool, and for the fans captivated by his rise, the story of Rio Ngumoha is only just beginning - and if he stays grounded, we could be watching a future Anfield legend in the making.

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