Liverpool Firm on Rio Ngumoha as Gakpo Eyes Exit and Iraola Pursues Alex Scott
Liverpool have drawn a hard line over Rio Ngumoha. Bayern Munich can knock, but the answer – for this summer at least – is no.
The 17-year-old winger, signed from Chelsea in 2024, has gone from long-term project to prized asset in the space of a season. Bayern, searching for a new left-sided attacker, identified Ngumoha as a prime target and sensed an opening. Early signals from Liverpool suggested they might be open to a sale with a buy-back style option, especially with the teenager initially earmarked for the U18s and U21s.
That door has now slammed shut.
TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey reports that Liverpool have no intention of selling Ngumoha in this window. Internal discussions are already being lined up over a new contract, a clear statement of how quickly his status has changed.
The Secret Scout, the well-followed talent-spotting account on X, underlined that shift. Their information tallies with Liverpool sources: when Ngumoha arrived, a future move to Europe was on the table. After a standout season, the mood has flipped. The club now see him as one of the most exciting young wingers around and would only even listen if a “huge” offer landed – the sort of figure that makes even elite clubs pause.
Liverpool, who have spent years rebuilding their academy pipeline, are not about to cash in on one of its brightest lights just as he catches fire.
Gakpo unsettled as Spurs circle
While one wide player looks set to stay, another could be edging towards the exit.
Dutch outlet Soccer News reports that Cody Gakpo now wants to leave Anfield. The change, they say, stems from the decision by Fenway Sports Group to dismiss Arne Slot before he had even taken charge and to move instead for Andoni Iraola.
Gakpo, who arrived from PSV as a marquee attacking signing, had every reason to expect a Dutch-led project. Slot’s removal has altered that landscape and, according to the report, the winger has “wishes to leave” Liverpool.
Tottenham Hotspur are described as having “serious interest” in the Netherlands international. Behind the scenes, Spurs are said to be working on a plan to convince both player and club in the coming weeks, sensing an opportunity to add a versatile, Premier League-proven attacker to Ange Postecoglou’s squad.
If Liverpool dig in over Ngumoha but soften on Gakpo, the profile of their forward line could look very different by the end of the window.
Iraola turns to familiar face Alex Scott
Change is not confined to the flanks. In midfield, Liverpool are preparing for a reshuffle under Iraola, and one name sits firmly on the radar: Alex Scott.
The Bournemouth midfielder, 22, is being lined up as a potential first signing for the incoming Liverpool head coach, according to journalist Jamie Dickenson. Liverpool are weighing up a £40 million bid, a figure that falls well short of Bournemouth’s £60m valuation of their “star man”.
Scott’s appeal to Iraola is obvious. The pair worked together on the south coast, where Scott’s blend of technical quality, press resistance and work-rate made him a central figure. Reuniting at Anfield would give Iraola a trusted on-field lieutenant as he stamps his identity on Liverpool’s midfield.
Scott is currently in Miami with Thomas Tuchel’s England squad and is expected to make his Three Lions debut in a friendly against New Zealand, reward for a superb campaign with Bournemouth. That international exposure, and interest from clubs such as Manchester United and Tottenham – the team he supported as a boy – will only strengthen Bournemouth’s hand in any negotiations.
Liverpool’s pursuit of Scott sits alongside wider attacking plans. The club are also tracking £100m-rated RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, though Iraola will be under pressure to maximise the £415m Liverpool spent last summer on the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and others.
The message is clear: this is not a rebuild from scratch, but a recalibration. Keep the crown jewels like Ngumoha. Decide whether Gakpo is part of the new picture. Add a trusted lieutenant in Scott if the price is right.
Anfield has rarely stood still for long. Under Iraola, the next version of Liverpool is already being drawn – the only question is which of today’s headline names will still be there when the ink dries.
