Liverpool’s attack needs depth, not just a first choice
Liverpool’s problem last season was clear: too little pace and too little goal threat from the wings. Andoni Iraola’s answer, according to The Athletic , is to build a group of four high-quality wide players and rotate them. That’s more significant than it sounds. A deeper attack could reduce the workload on individual players while making Liverpool less dependent on any one of them. The plan also puts Cody Gakpo’s place in focus. There have been reports of approaches for Gakpo, but no confirmed bids have been reported. His role next season, alongside new addition Victor Munoz, should give Liverpool another source of threat out wide. How the minutes are divided remains unclear.
Andoni Iraola is aiming for a four-man attack at Liverpool (Image: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Ngumoha has already made a case for himself
Rio Ngumoha is part of that conversation after a remarkable breakthrough season under Arne Slot. His Premier League debut ended with a late winner against Newcastle, scored when he was 16 years and 361 days old. The minutes underline how unusual his season was. Ngumoha played 952 minutes in all competitions, more than any other player aged 17 or younger at a club last season. Arsenal’s Max Dowman followed with 477, while Brighton’s Harry Howell recorded 260. Those numbers show how much opportunity Ngumoha received; they don’t, on their own, tell us how Iraola will use him. For Liverpool, the challenge is to turn that promise into a sustainable rotation without asking a teenager to carry the attack. Iraola is expected to add attacking talent this summer, with the stated aim of improving the team’s goalscoring and sharing the burden across four wide players. Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now! READ MORE: Mohamed Salah injury blow at World Cup as Egypt star heads for scans and faces anxious wait READ MORE: Liverpool have been given three transfer green lights for stars worth £260millionNgumoha’s future and Liverpool’s transfer test
Liverpool’s stance on Rio Ngumoha is clear: the club wants him to stay and grow into a bigger role. Reports earlier this month said Bayern Munich were interested, with Sky Sport Germany claiming Bayern manager Vincent Kompany had held productive talks with the teenager’s agents. Liverpool quickly rejected that account and made clear Ngumoha wasn’t for sale. The club now wants to offer him a long-term contract when he turns 18 in August. That commitment could matter more than the Bayern rumour. If you’re tracking Liverpool’s plans under Iraola, the question is whether Ngumoha can become part of a wider attack rather than carry the burden himself.
Liverpool are also pursuing RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, a 19-year-old who has impressed for Ivory Coast at the World Cup and has been on the Anfield hierarchy’s radar for some time. The club has reportedly made a tentative £86 million offer. Leipzig, having paid £17 million for him last summer, are holding out for about £112 million.
That gap is substantial, but a fee near £100 million could bring the sides closer. Paris Saint-Germain are also competing for Diomande, and it’s not clear how far Liverpool will go to win the race. Leipzig’s asking price reflects a bet on his future value as much as his current form.
If the deal gets done, Iraola would have the four-man attack he wants for next season’s Premier League campaign. That’s an ambitious plan built around both a rising prospect and a costly signing; whether Liverpool can turn the transfer interest into a balanced forward line remains the test.
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