Rio Ngumoha has given Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola a timely reminder of his quality — while also showing how he and the club’s reported target Bradley Barcola could thrive in the same side.
The 17-year-old was one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Merseysiders last season. He continued to impress in limited minutes and came off the bench to score the winner as Liverpool beat Wrexham in pre-season.
Ngumoha’s deflected goal in New York preserved the team’s perfect record so far. More significantly, his deployment on the right — after playing almost exclusively on the left — has opened up an intriguing tactical possibility for Iraola.
There have been calls for Ngumoha to feature more regularly. With Barcola another predominantly left-sided forward, the pair might have been expected to compete for the same position. Instead, Ngumoha’s recent cameo suggests they could operate either side of a central striker.
Liverpool are ready to intensify their interest in the PSG winger, whose departure from the European champions looks increasingly likely. The French club are demanding as much as £140 million. Should Iraola land the deal, he will need a strong return on that investment. Ngumoha’s ability to play on the right means the teenager’s pathway to minutes need not be blocked.
Speaking about his new manager, Ngumoha said: “The manager has been very good, getting his points across really well. He’s been top and all the coaching staff have been very good as well.”
Iraola’s high-intensity style earned widespread praise at Bournemouth, but the Spaniard remains measured about Liverpool’s progress. “I think we’re still not there,” he said. “We are sometimes arriving late, but I think it’s a step forward, especially the first half against Sunderland. That is more of a reference than the second half.
“Slowly, slowly I hope every game we are closer and closer. We start to add new bodies, because now we are playing with a lot of the young players. Slowly, slowly we have to add the senior players that are starting to train with us, so we can arrive to the beginning of the season in a good place.”
