Ngumoha reminds Liverpool of his potential as Barcola rumors swirl

NEW YORK CITY -- As Liverpool's 1-0 preseason victory over Wrexham on Wednesday edged towards its conclusion, the cameras homed in on a banner in the crowd. "Rio, can I have your shirt?" it read. It was one of many shows of support for matchwinner Rio Ngumoha inside Yankee Stadium as the teenage sensation once again showed his worth. His goal -- a heavily deflected strike in the 75th minute -- was not particularly easy on the eye but it was another example of the 17-year-old proving decisive for Liverpool at the crucial moment. After a breakout season at Anfield last term, the expectation is now that he will become one of the Reds' main men under new head coach Andoni Iraola. - Lindop: How Iraola is changing Liverpool on U.S. preseason tour - Liverpool's paucity of defensive options made clear in Iraola's first game - Darke: Premier League 2026-27 title race promises to be a classic "The goal was a bit of luck but every minute that we get in preseason is very important," Ngumoha told ESPN after the game. "As you can see, we're just getting fitter, sharper and better." It was instructive that Ngumoha played on the right after being introduced for the second half, despite usually favouring the left-hand side. Only hours before kick-off in New York, it was reported that Liverpool are readying a bid for Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola as they look to bolster their attacking options following the departure of long-time talisman Mohamed Salah. Sources told ESPN that Liverpool will table an offer after informal talks with Barcola's representatives established the 23-year-old would be keen on a move to Merseyside. The news prompted legendary Reds defender Jamie Carragher to query the logic of signing another left winger, potentially at the expense of leaving themselves short on the opposite flank. "Liverpool currently have three players who could play from the left in Rio, [Cody] Gakpo and [Florian] Wirtz and no one who plays from the right," Carragher posted on X. In using Ngumoha off the right against Wrexham, Iraola was perhaps hinting that the young forward is viewed as a viable option to fill that Salah-shaped void. "Any position -- right wing, left wing -- I just try my best especially on the ball just to beat my man as best as I can," Ngumoha said. "Today obviously I was a bit rusty but the more I keep learning in training and games, I'll definitely improve. To be adaptable is a skill that I need, definitely." Already, Ngumoha's improvement at Liverpool has been impressive. Having signed for the club's academy from Chelsea in 2024, the forward became the youngest player to start a first-team game in the club's history when he made his professional debut against Accrington Stanley in January 2025. His meteoric rise catapulted to the next level last term when, on the eve of his 17th birthday, he netted the winning goal against Newcastle United in the Premier League, becoming Liverpool's youngest-ever goalscorer in the process. Ngumoha's development over the course of the season compelled England manager Thomas Tuchel to call him up to train with the squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup this summer and he caught the eye with an accomplished debut in a 1-0 win over New Zealand. Still, some caution must be exercised to ensure Ngumoha has the best chance of prolonged success at the elite level. Liverpool's previous boss Arne Slot managed the winger's minutes carefully last season and Iraola -- who has a reputation for developing young talent -- will likely take a similar approach. Even if Liverpool are able to strike a deal with PSG for Barcola, it could be argued they would still benefit from another attacking addition. Alexander Isak and Wirtz joined up with the Liverpool team in the United States this week and are likely to feature in their final game against Leeds United in Chicago on Sunday, while Gakpo has resumed training back on Merseyside. Víctor Muñoz -- who Liverpool signed from Osasuna for £34.5 million last month -- will link up with the squad later in the summer after winning the World Cup with Spain. But with Hugo Ekitike sidelined with a ruptured Achilles, and an element of the unknown surrounding many of Liverpool's attacking options, additional firepower may be required. The absence of some senior players this summer has afforded Iraola the chance to hand minutes to many of the club's younger stars, with forwards Kieran Morrison and Lewis Koumas among those to impress so far. "Good performances from young players, which I think is always good," Iraola told club media post-match. I think both Koumas and Will [Wright] have done a very good job today. They were helping us on the press, helping us also attacking the spaces, linking up also with Harvey [Elliott], with Dom [Szoboszlai], with the players behind them. Both of them have done a good job." It is Ngumoha, though, who remains the most promising young prospect. "Last season was really important for me," the forward said. "Obviously, team performances weren't great which we know but being in that environment where the team's not doing well, it can help me so when we're doing well I can just improve and keep learning." Certainly, Ngumoha is far from the finished article and still has plenty of learning to do. But, if he can continue on last season's remarkable trajectory, Liverpool might just have a superstar on their hands.