Early agreement reached as Liverpool make Thursday morning transfer announcement amid Rio Ngumoha uncertainty

Liverpool have officially announced that James Norris has sealed a permanent transfer to League of Ireland side Shelbourne.

The move had been anticipated following earlier reports surrounding the futures of Norris, James McConnell and Owen Beck. The 22-year-old left-back has already made a strong impression under Joey O’Brien, featuring 11 times and logging 734 minutes, while also providing an assist during a Europa League qualifying match against HNK Rijeka.

Norris completes Shelbourne switch

Confirmation came via Liverpool’s official X account on Thursday morning, bringing an end to what had been a productive spell in Ireland for Norris. His departure coincides with uncertainty around McConnell and Beck, both of whom are expected to see their respective loan spells curtailed.

McConnell has struggled for consistent game time after initially catching Arne Slot’s eye in European fixtures earlier in the campaign. Beck, meanwhile, has seen his progress disrupted by injury, most recently suffering a hamstring issue that required surgery.

What next for Rio Ngumoha?

Questions have also been raised about Rio Ngumoha’s situation. The teenage winger has arguably been affected by Liverpool’s difficult domestic form in the 2025/26 season, which has limited opportunities across the squad.

However, there is a strong case that Liverpool are right not to place excessive responsibility on the 17-year-old at such an early stage of his development. Slot has previously highlighted Ngumoha’s involvement, noting that he already has more Premier League minutes than most players his age.

As Slot explained:
“I think he has the most minutes of all 17-year-olds in the Premier League. That shows how much he’s already playing and how special that is for someone so young. It also reflects his quality, because that level of involvement isn’t normal at his age.”

With that in mind, a loan move for Ngumoha appears unlikely. Despite his immense potential, Liverpool remain cautious, stressing that he should not be expected to accumulate heavy senior minutes so early in his Anfield journey.