​Liverpool clearly need a right winger, and that reality is hard to ignore. Mohamed Salah’s departure has left a void in goals and assists, and replacing that level of production represents one of the biggest challenges in the current squad rebuild under Andoni Iraola. There is a market solution that Liverpool are actively exploring, but there is also an internal option that may ultimately prove smarter if it comes off. Rio Ngumoha, who has most often operated from the left this season, is reportedly being considered for the right wing after “internal discussions,” according to Paul Gorst of The Liverpool Echo. If that plan sticks, it could save Liverpool a substantial amount of money in the transfer market.
This is not to suggest Ngumoha is the finished article at 17. He is not. It is, however, to acknowledge what the club already possesses. Ngumoha started to make a real breakthrough last season, earning more minutes as the campaign progressed and delivering a milestone moment by becoming Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer with the late winner against Newcastle. Although he has primarily played from the left at club level, his England debut provided another clue: he appeared on the right against New Zealand and impressed. That matters because Liverpool have long favoured inverted wide players. In simple terms, the role on the right is designed for a player who can cut in to attack inside or threaten the full-back directly.
Ngumoha is right-footed, so he does not fit the classic Salah profile. Yet he possesses pace, athleticism, and the ability to beat defenders. More importantly, his decision-making and end product improved last season, which, for a teenager, is precisely the sort of progress that matters. Liverpool’s need on the flanks extends beyond a single position. Luis Diaz was never adequately replaced from the prior season, Cody Gakpo carried too much of the burden and still did not produce consistently in the final third, and concerns remain about depth.
As things stand, Federico Chiesa and Jeremie Frimpong are among the most obvious right-sided options still in the squad, which is hardly enough for a club desperate to rebound from a fifth-place finish in the Premier League. Victor Munoz has arrived under Iraola, but one signing does not resolve a frontline that has lost its reference point. That is why other names—Bradley Barcola, Yan Diomande, and Yankuba Minteh—continue to surface. Barcola brings pedigree, Diomande offers a natural right-sided profile, and Minteh represents the closest stylistic fit as a left-footer who cuts in from the right.
Here is the blunt truth: none of those alternatives can realistically be expected to replicate Salah immediately. Very few players in world football can. Liverpool still require external help, potentially two wingers, but they also need to recognise the value of a top academy talent already within their building. If Ngumoha can handle the tactical shift, Liverpool may have found part of the answer without splashing £40m, £50m or more on potential alone. In a summer where priorities are piling up, that possibility matters.
The simplest, perhaps best, outcome might be the one that makes the most sense. Embrace a youthful, internal solution where feasible and use the savings to shore up the squad in other areas. If Ngumoha can adapt to right-wing duties, Liverpool could secure a functional, cost-efficient pathway to cover this critical position while continuing to hunt for additional high-quality signings. In the end, the objective is clear: strengthen the squad’s attacking threat from the right, either through shrewd internal development or targeted external additions, and do so without losing sight of the club’s broader strategic goals.