Ngumoha will love him: Liverpool set to make bid for £120m star “this week”

Liverpool fans have been lucky enough to witness countless world-class talents at Anfield over the years – but it’s often the impact of the attacking options which has left the biggest impact.

Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah were part of an iconic front three under Jurgen Klopp – helping the Reds claim Premier League and Champions League titles under the German.

However, for the first time since 2014, none of the aforementioned trio will be on Merseyside next term, after the latter announced he would be departing on a free transfer this summer.

New boss Andoni Iraola now has the task of making his own infamous attacking trio at Anfield after being announced as the man to replace Arne Slot in the dugout.

The Spaniard has become known for his heavy-metal forward thinking football at Bournemouth, with a real hope he can transfer such a tactic into the Reds squad ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Liverpool to make bid to sign £120m star this week

If Iraola is to make an immediate impact as Liverpool boss, he may need numerous attacking additions during the upcoming transfer window to aid his quest.

PSG winger Bradley Barcola has been mentioned as one potential option for the Reds this summer after falling behind Kvicha Kvaratskhelia in Luis Enrique’s pecking order.

The French club are open to selling the 23-year-old this summer, but could demand as much as £86m if they are to offload the youngster during the upcoming window.

As a result, other forward options continue to be pursued, with RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande still remaining as Iraola’s top transfer target this summer.

According to writer Wilson Cox, Liverpool are set to make an offer to the Bundesliga side for the Ivorian international “this week” after numerous months of intense scouting.

He also states that talks between the two clubs have been progressing well, but mentions that PSG are another club who could swoop for the 19-year-old in the near future.

The player himself is said to be willing to accept a proposal to join the Reds this summer, but his current employers are said to want around the £120m before sanctioning a transfer.

Why Ngumoha would love Diomande’s transfer to Liverpool

The 2025/26 season may have been one to forget for Liverpool, but it has been a year to remember for teenager Rio Ngumoha, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the first-team.

The 17-year-old made 19 league appearances for the Reds this term, even netting his first goal for the club off the bench and subsequently claiming victory over Newcastle United in August.

Supporters were crying out for the Englishman to feature more under Slot, but his refusal to utilise the teen star was just part of his downfall at Anfield.

His recent form hasn’t gone unnoticed though, as Thomas Tuchel requested Ngumoha joined the England national team in preparation for this summer’s World Cup.

The youngster featured for the second half in Saturday’s victory against New Zealand, even claiming the Player of the Match award in the process.

Despite his tender age, Ngumoha will no doubt have a senior role under Iraola next term and could form a deadly partnership with Diomande should he complete his own transfer.

The Ivorian has developed into one of Europe’s leading talents in recent months, with his stats from the recent campaign highlighting why he could thrive alongside the Liverpool teenager.

Despite 2025/26 being his first full season in one of Europe’s top five leagues, Diomande created a staggering 2.1 chances per 90 – ranking him in the top 15% of all attackers in Europe.

The aforementioned tally highlights his ability to cause carnage within attacking areas of the pitch – which could see Ngumoha be the beneficiary of his endless chance creation.

The RB Leipzig star also completed an incredible 4.3 successful dribbles per 90 in the Bundesliga this season – with such a tally the highest of any player in the division.

His mazy runs have allowed him to get into key positions in Germany this campaign, even adding the end product – as seen by his assist tally of eight this term.

Ngumoha could once again be on the end of his defence-splitting passes at Anfield, with the Reds’ hierarchy needing to pull out all of the stops to secure the youngster’s signature.

Whilst a deal for the RB Leipzig star could cost a small fortune this summer, it would allow Iraola to have two teenage stars who could thrive together for at least the next decade.

The aforementioned pair are already world-class talents and could even reach the next level in their respective developments alongside one another on Merseyside.

However, even in the immediate future, both players have the tools needed to help Iraola mount a Premier League title push during his first year in charge at Anfield.