NEW YORK — Rio Ngumoha scored the decisive goal as Liverpool edged Wrexham 1-0 in a preseason friendly at Yankee Stadium, a victory that drew vocal support from the crowd. The 17-year-old’s strike, heavily deflected, came in the 75th minute and prompted a banner reading, “Rio, can I have your shirt?” inside the stadium.
“The goal was a bit of luck but every minute that we get in preseason is very important,” Ngumoha told ESPN after the game. Introduced for the second half, he played on the right flank despite usually favoring the left.
Ngumoha addressed his positional flexibility, saying it is a skill he needs to develop. “Any position — right wing, left wing — I just try my best especially on the ball just to beat my man as best as I can,” he told ESPN, adding that he felt rusty but expects to improve with more training and game time.
Hours before kickoff in New York, it was reported that Liverpool are preparing a bid for Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola as they seek attacking reinforcements following the departure of Mohamed Salah. Sources told ESPN that Liverpool plan to table an offer after informal talks with Barcola’s representatives suggested the 23-year-old would be keen on a move. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher questioned the logic of signing another left-sided attacker, posting on X that the club had “three players who could play from the left in Rio, [Cody] Gakpo and [Florian] Wirtz and no one who plays from the right.”
Ngumoha’s rise has been rapid since arriving from Chelsea in 2024. He became the youngest player to start a first-team game for Liverpool when he debuted against Accrington Stanley in January 2025 and scored what made him the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer with a winner against Newcastle United on the eve of his 17th birthday.
His development last season led England manager Thomas Tuchel to call him up to train with the national squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup, and he made an accomplished debut in a 1-0 win over New Zealand, according to ESPN. Arsenal’s former boss Arne Slot managed Ngumoha’s minutes carefully last season, and new head coach Andoni Iraola, known for developing young talent, oversaw his appearance in New York.
