Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha was handed a positional switch last night as Andoni Iraola makes plans for the possible arrival of Bradley Barcola from PSG
Rio Ngumoha scored for Liverpool in pre-season
Rio Ngumoha scored for Liverpool in pre-season
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Rio Ngumoha handed Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola a timely reminder of his quality - all whilst leaving scope for him and Reds' target Bradley Barcola to thrive in the same team.
Ngumoha was a bright spark for the Merseysiders last season, in what was largely a forgettable campaign. He continued to excel during his limited opportunities and came off the bench to score the winner as Liverpool saw off Wrexham in pre-season.
The 17-year-old's deflected goal in New York kept up the team's perfect record so far and his deployment off the right, having played almost exclusively off the left previously, serves to highlight what could come next for Iraola.
There have been clamours for Ngumoha to play more regularly, but he and Barcola, another left-sided forward, could've been in a scenario whereby they were battling for the same spot.
Liverpool are ready to ramp up their interest in the PSG man, whose exit from the European Champions is looking all the more likely, and Ngumoha's impressive cameo off the right shows that he and the Frenchman could play in tandem either side of a striker, whoever that may be.
Iraola, should he get a deal for Barcola over the line, could spend up to £140million, which is what the Parisians are demanding. He'd need a return on that investment, which could've left Ngumoha's route towards more minutes blocked off, but playing off the right is now a viable option.
The teenager said on his new boss: “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.”
Bradley Barcola is being linked with a blockbuster move to Anfield
Bradley Barcola is being linked with a blockbuster move to Anfield(Image: Dan Mullan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
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Iraola's style earned him huge plaudits at Bournemouth but the Spaniard insists his Reds side still have a way to go before they've locked in his principles.
"I think we’re still not there," he said. "We are sometimes arriving late, but I think it’s a step forward, since 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."
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