Liverpool Confidential: Latest on new deal for Rio Ngumoha revealed, the clubs keen to poach him, why he’s guaranteed more minutes this season, how Lewis Koumas reached ‘dreamland’ and injury updates on three key defenders

Liverpool have issued a hands-off warning to clubs circling Rio Ngumoha and remain extremely keen to extend his contract.

There has been a flurry of talk about the 18-year-old’s future in the last week with Arsenal mooted as a club following his situation. Bayern Munich also expressed an interest in the summer transfer window.

Sources have told Confidential that the Gunners’ interest is not advanced and more exploratory. It is genuine, however, with the English champions keeping tabs on the situation in case the teenager struggles for game-time and gets itchy feet following the arrival of two new wingers – Bradley Barcola and Victor Munoz – at Anfield.

Liverpool, though, would not entertain any offers for Ngumoha. His contract runs until 2028 and they plan to keep him beyond that. They see him as a future world-beater and believe he will get plenty of minutes this season.

It is understood Ngumoha is aware of interest from elsewhere – not just Arsenal and Bayern Munich – but is happy at Liverpool.

Ngumoha signed a three-year professional contract on September 25 of last year. That was the longest deal a player of his age could sign and the club also has a salary cap for youngsters – though the player will be remunerated well from bonuses.

Sources close to the situation this week insisted there is no update on a new contract just yet but Ngumoha is enjoying life at Anfield. Liverpool are keen to reward him for his meteoric rise in the last 12 months.

Ngumoha moved to Liverpool in 2024, when they poached a winger described as the best talent in Chelsea’s academy. A tribunal ruled in February that the Reds must pay £2.8million to Chelsea, which could rise to £6.8m with bonuses.

He made his senior England debut in a World Cup warm-up match, starring against New Zealand. Thomas Tuchel is a big fan and Ngumoha could be named in the England squad announced this Friday for upcoming Nations League matches.

Ngumoha started against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Tottenham in the Carabao Cup in the last week and although he might privately feel uneasy about the arrival of £123m Barcola, the teenager will get lots of minutes this season given Andoni Iraola’s desire to rotate his wide men.

He started nine times last season and is already nearly halfway to matching that tally this time after just one month of the campaign. Due to his tender age, Liverpool were careful with his minutes last term.

They will still not push too much, too soon but Ngumoha is now trusted for more starts and longer appearances than mere cameos. Iraola likes to change his wingers mid-game which means all four – Ngumoha, Barcola, Cody Gakpo and Munoz – will get lots of game-time.

KOUMAS IS IRAOLA’S DREAM

Confidential readers will recall last week’s musings on how it was obvious why Iraola adores Lewis Koumas. If it was not evident then, it is plain to see now.

The Chester-born forward is living his dream and it is especially pertinent when there was a lot of talk this summer about the lack of a local academy graduate in the first team in light of Curtis Jones’s exit to Inter Milan.

Geography experts will (rightly) contest the suggestion Koumas is a Scouser but the 20-year-old has grown up around the academy, having joined aged 11 from Tranmere Rovers, who were annoyed about their talented kid being poached.

Koumas has had a crack at breaking through before. He was an unused substitute a few times under Jurgen Klopp in the German’s final season, including in the Carabao Cup final, and started an FA Cup tie against Southampton in February 2024.

He scored in front of the Kop but might have thought his Liverpool career would be limited to just one appearance after he was loaned out to Championship sides Stoke, Birmingham and Hull.

Those loans were positive but it would also be fair to say he showed few signs that he was ready to crack it on the biggest stage. When Koumas was left on the bench for the Tigers’ play-off final success, he could not have seen the next few months unfolding as they have.

‘I would have woken up!’ he said, laughing, when asked how he would have reacted then if someone had told him he would soon make his Champions League and Premier League debuts, then win man of the match in the Carabao Cup against Tottenham.

‘I would have thought I was dreaming. It’s crazy. But I’m just really happy and very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given.

‘I never showed a weak mentality about how the future would look for me at Liverpool. I always had the drive that I would get here. The reason for going out on loan was to prepare for this moment.

‘The past two years have been massive for my development. Going on loan helped me become the player I am today. I was able to impress the new manager in pre-season and it all worked out well.’

Confidential reported in our first column of this season that Koumas, midfielder James McConnell and defender Luke Chambers were set to stick around despite huge interest in taking them on loan. It is understood Iraola made that decision early in pre-season due to their versatility, attitude and tactical skills.

Koumas, son of former Premier League midfielder Jason, can play as a striker, winger, No 10 and even operated as a wing-back for Hull. He is liked for his relentless and clever pressing, which is perfect for Iraola’s style of play. 

It is reductive to simply say he is a good runner, as he is also adept on the ball. He scored important goals for Hull last season and does not seem fazed by big occasions.

The Wales international, who turns 21 next week, grew up idolising Gareth Bale and Michael Owen – though the latter’s Liverpool career was slightly before his time. ‘How I play is ultimately the Liverpool way,’ Koumas added on Tuesday night.

‘We’ve always been a club where players have to give absolutely everything on the pitch. We’re bringing that back now and the crowd are loving it. You never know when your last time on the pitch for Liverpool is going to be. I just try to leave everything out there every time.’

The best word to describe Koumas is one from Iraola: ‘Contagious.’ His running sets the tone for others and his story – with those loans in the lower leagues – should inspire other youngsters that development might not always be linear.

Right now, young buck Koumas must feel on top of the world – but he will hope this is only the beginning.

ZIDANE AND KLOPP TO GET HANDS ON LIVERPOOL STARS

International squads are to be announced in the coming days with some interesting news lines to watch from a Liverpool perspective.

Does new France boss Zinedine Zidane reward the impressive Jeremy Jacquet with a first senior cap? Does new Netherlands manager Xavi stick by captain Virgil van Dijk, who will turn 37 during the next Euros? Will Ngumoha get that England call-up?

Former Barcelona midfielder Xavi also has a decision to make over Jeremie Frimpong, who was omitted from the World Cup squad and has struggled in the early weeks of this campaign.

Klopp will get his first chance to work with Florian Wirtz at Germany, too. The midfielder has shown glimpses of class this term but is yet to discover any consistency.

Former Reds boss Klopp could help him along the way. The Liverpool legend has been working his way around Bundesliga stadiums but is yet to be spotted at Anfield to run the rule over Wirtz.

Meanwhile, young Liverpool full back Isaac Mabaya has switched allegiances to Zimbabwe and accepted a first call-up after previously featuring for England’s age-group sides. He made his first-team debut at Plymouth in February 2025 but has been plagued by injuries since.

The 21-year-old went on loan to Wigan but was recalled to do rehab work at the AXA Training Centre.

ROLE-MODEL MILNER COACHING KIDS

James Milner has returned to Liverpool to gain experience in his coaching journey – and give his own experience back to youngsters.

The 40-year-old recently called time on a stellar player career that spanned 24 years and saw him break the record for most Premier League appearances. He is now working towards his UEFA Pro Licence and is helping out with coaching some of the younger age groups on a casual and not permanent agreement.

It is similar story with Conor Coady, who has been spotted at the AXA Training Centre several times in recent months. He is on Lee Carsley’s England Under-21 coaching team.

INJURY LATEST: BRADLEY AND LEONI STEP IT UP 

There is light at the end of an extremely long tunnel for two Liverpool defenders.

As documented in this column in previous weeks, Giovanni Leoni is stepping up his recovery from an ACL injury that has seen him miss nearly exactly a year.

Right back Conor Bradley is also on the comeback trail and is now training alone, doing ball work after a knee injury suffered in January. Small steps on both counts but positive to hear.

Federico Chiesa has been missing for several weeks but is aiming for a late-September return to training. He and Wataru Endo have been omitted from the European squad list.

And Joe Gomez went off at half-time on Tuesday night and fans feared the worst given it was the injury-prone defender’s first game of the season after a lay-off. But it was a planned substitution – he is OK and in contention to make the squad for Bournemouth on Sunday.