Ex-Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole has dismissed a theory involving Rio Ngumoha as Liverpool seeks to replace Mohamed Salah this summer when he departs for pastures new
17:37, 28 Apr 2026
Rio Ngumoha on the Liverpool substitutes' bench at Anfield.
Rio Ngumoha on the Liverpool substitutes' bench at Anfield.(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside via Getty Images)
Liverpool has "holes" to fill in attack next season, and that burden should not be placed on the shoulders of 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha. That is the view of the former England international Joe Cole.
Arne Slot will lose Mohamed Salah a year earlier than initially anticipated. The loss of Luis Diaz has been felt, while there is an argument that the Reds need more depth in forward areas even before factoring in that Hugo Ekitike is set to be missing for a substantial period of time thanks to a serious Achilles injury.
"I think Liverpool, now Ekitike is out for a long time, there are holes there," Cole told Goal. "He's not going to start in the next season, I'm sure.
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"Salah's leaving, so it might be big for him [Ngumoha] to go straight in. I'm sure they'll sign another player who can fit the mold of both of those types of players.
"If you've got that talent in your club, you do have a plan for him. They sit down and they watch him every day. They know the lad's mentality.
"They know whether they want to put that pressure on him from the start of next season to be the main man at Liverpool.
Rio Ngumoha and Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.
Rio Ngumoha and Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
"Or do they want to take it off and just keep him developing nicely? Only Arne Slot and his team and the people upstairs will know that."
Ngumoha has been very slowly and carefully integrated into the Liverpool team this season. It would be in no one best interests to rush him and risk there being problems down the line.
“I think it's a case of developing," Cole continued. "It's about the family unit around him and the structure the club put around him.
"It's about not overexposing him, no over-reliance on him. I think that's the responsibility. The club, the family, and all the people around the player.
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"It's a tough one, but I think we're much more equipped to do that nowadays. We understand a little bit more about developing players' mindset, mentality, and what players need. I'm sure Rio has got that. He's exciting to watch as well."
Liverpool.com says: Ngumoha will of course continue to grow as a Reds player next season, but he can't be overly relied upon. At least one pacy winger, and ideally two, would come in to help him out.
Someone like Anthony Gordon, who can play as a number nine as well as out wide and as a number 10, could make sense for the right price, though Newcastle would likely be reluctant to repeat the Alexander Isak sale.