Liverpool’s Summer Rebuild Impresses, but Teen Sensation Ngumoha Steals the Spotlight
Liverpool’s high-profile summer recruits finally made their Anfield debuts – yet it was 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha who emerged as the real talking point, despite featuring in a different match altogether.
The Reds staged a rare double-header against Athletic Bilbao, fielding two different squads in back-to-back fixtures. The first encounter kicked off at 17:00 BST, mostly featuring fringe and youth players, while the headline game with the new-look first team followed at 20:00.
In the earlier clash, it was England U17 forward Ngumoha who wasted no time making an impression. Within just five minutes, he had both scored and assisted – a dazzling display that captured the imagination of fans and pundits alike.
Slot’s New Era Begins with Exciting Promise
Arne Slot, who pulled off the remarkable feat of winning the Premier League in his debut season with minimal squad additions – only fringe signing Federico Chiesa came in – is now starting to craft a side truly of his own.
And the signs are positive.
Slot unveiled a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation, featuring a mix of new talent and established stars. Florian Wirtz, a £100 million acquisition from Germany, showed flashes of brilliance in the first half, demonstrating sharp control and creativity, and nearly finding the net on multiple occasions.
At right-back, Jeremie Frimpong brought energy and attacking intent reminiscent of Trent Alexander-Arnold, now at Real Madrid. While he surged forward well, he did fail to deal with a dangerous free-kick delivery that led to Oihan Sancet scoring Bilbao’s equaliser.
Over on the left, Milos Kerkez, formerly of Bournemouth, looked solid both defensively and going forward. Up front, Hugo Ekitike provided width and pace, setting up Mohamed Salah for the game’s opener after a burst to the byline.
Ekitike nearly bagged one himself, only for Cody Gakpo to intercept and notch his second of the night. Ironically, Gakpo’s hat-trick included an own goal from a flick-on by Maroan Sannadi.
Defensive Depth Still a Concern
With Virgil van Dijk sidelined due to illness and Joe Gomez also unavailable, midfielder Wataru Endo had to step into central defence alongside Ibrahima Konate. The lack of depth was further exposed earlier in the day, when 18-year-old Trey Nyoni was forced to fill in at centre-back.
Slot admitted the team still has work to do:
“We hardly gave away anything from open play, which I liked. But conceding twice from set-pieces is not good enough, especially with Crystal Palace next in the Community Shield – they’re strong from dead-ball situations.”
Liverpool ran out 4-1 winners in the earlier game with Darwin Nunez, Ben Doak, and Harvey Elliott joining Ngumoha on the scoresheet.
£263.5m Worth of Talent On Show – But Gakpo Shines Brightest
The evening fixture featured Liverpool’s full-strength side, including their £263.5 million summer recruits: Wirtz, Ekitike, Frimpong, Kerkez, and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, whose long-delayed transfer finally went through.
Despite the influx of talent, it was Gakpo who dominated headlines – scoring twice (in the right net), while also registering an unfortunate own goal. The Reds edged it 3-2, with Salah opening the scoring but later missing a penalty.
Slot was pleased with the output:
“We created lots of chances and scored seven across both matches. That’s always encouraging.”
Ngumoha Continues to Turn Heads
While all eyes were on the big-money signings, Rio Ngumoha continues to be the story of Liverpool’s pre-season. The teen forward, who turns 17 later this month, was electric once again.
He opened the scoring in the early match after winning the ball deep in his own half and sprinting the length of the pitch to curl home a stunning finish from outside the box. Minutes later, he set up Nunez with a clever headed assist after a pinpoint cross from Doak.
Curtis Jones encouraged the crowd to show their appreciation as Ngumoha’s dribbling and flair continued to torment Bilbao. He left the field to a well-earned standing ovation in the second half.
Ex-Reds defender Gary Gillespie was effusive on LFC TV:
“He’s a real gem. Managing expectations will be tough because it’s hard to temper the excitement around him.”
Slot added:
“Rio has delivered something impressive every time he’s played in pre-season.”
Ngumoha has already scored against Yokohama F. Marinos and assisted versus AC Milan in Asia – and now adds another eye-catching performance at Anfield.
Is the First Team Within Reach?
Earlier this year, Ngumoha became Liverpool’s youngest-ever starter in a competitive match, aged 16 years and 135 days, during a 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley. However, he has yet to make a Premier League bench appearance.
That could change soon. With Diogo Jota’s tragic passing following a car crash casting a shadow over Liverpool’s pre-season, and Luis Diaz sold to Bayern Munich, attacking reinforcements are needed.
If Nunez, reportedly a Saudi Pro League target, departs, the frontline could be reduced to Salah, Ekitike, and Gakpo – opening the door for someone like Ngumoha to step in.
Liverpool have reportedly had a £110 million bid for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak rejected.
Despite the buzz, Ngumoha remains grounded:
“I’m not rushing anything. I just want to show the manager what I can do and keep improving – for myself and the club.”
Interestingly, Ngumoha isn’t a product of Liverpool’s youth academy. He joined from Chelsea last year, where John Terry once called him “a future star.”
At this rate, Terry may have been absolutely right.
Final Thought: Slot’s Liverpool 2.0 Looks Exciting
With a crop of new signings bedding in and a teenage prodigy lighting up pre-season, Arne Slot’s Liverpool 2.0 seems to be taking shape in style. While there are defensive questions to address, the attacking output and potential future stars like Ngumoha offer plenty of hope for the campaign ahead.
