Liverpool have some difficult decisions to make ahead of next season once Mohamed Salah departs Anfield and former Reds star Joe Cole has sent club chiefs a word of advice
Joe Cole admits Liverpool have a dilemma over Rio Ngumoha’s future once Mohamed Salah leaves the club. The Anfield wonderkid has enjoyed a positive breakout season under Arne Slot this term.
The 17-year-old scored on his Premier League debut against Newcastle and has gone on to make a further 24 appearances in all competitions this term. He is expected to have an even more prominent role next season.
Mo Salah is due to depart at the end of the season, while fellow forward Hugo Ekitike is set to miss the majority of the 2026/27 campaign with an Achilles injury. Former Liverpool star Cole believes that while there will likely be a plan in place for Ngumoha’s added responsibility, he has warned the Reds that they need to be careful not to overwhelm the youngster.
And he also believes that the Merseysiders might need to dip into the transfer market for more attacking support. "I think Liverpool, now Ekitike is out for a long time, there are holes there," Cole said to Goal.
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"He's not going to start in the next season, I'm sure. Salah's leaving, so it might be big for him [Ngumoha] to go straight in. I'm sure they'll sign another player who can fit the mold of both of those types of players.
"If you've got that talent in your club, you do have a plan for him. They sit down and they watch him every day. They know the lad's mentality.
"They know whether they want to put that pressure on him from the start of next season to be the main man at Liverpool.
"Or do they want to take it off and just keep him developing nicely? Only Arne Slot and his team and the people upstairs will know that."
“I think it's a case of developing," Cole continued. "It's about the family unit around him and the structure the club put around him.
"It's about not overexposing him, no over-reliance on him. I think that's the responsibility. The club, the family, and all the people around the player.
"It's a tough one, but I think we're much more equipped to do that nowadays. We understand a little bit more about developing players' mindset, mentality, and what players need. I'm sure Rio has got that. He's exciting to watch as well."
Ngumoha could potentially have more opportunities to play for Liverpool over the closing weeks of the season as they try and seal a spot in the Champions League. The Reds sit fourth in the Premier League ahead of this weekend’s clash with Manchester United.