A round-up of the latest Liverpool news as Ian Wright suggests one Reds ace will leave Euro 2024 ‘disappointed’ and Arne Slot sets his stance on one transfer out of Anfield.
Chelsea are furious that Rio Ngumoha could leave for Liverpool
Chelsea are furious that highly-rated academy forward Rio Ngumoha could quit the Blues to join Liverpool. That is according to the Daily Mail, which reports that the Reds are in talks to sign the 15-year-old considered to be one of English football’s most highly-rated youngsters.
A scholarship deal awaits Ngumoha as he considers leaving west London for Merseyside as their pathway to senior football appeals. The move follows Liverpool’s efforts to recruit the top emerging talents in Britain and Ngumoha has already featured for Chelsea’s Under-21s.
Ngumoha has also already featured for England at the Under-15 level and made U16 squads for his country. He even scored and assisted efforts during the 2023/24 U18 Premier League season after emerging as one of Chelsea’s most promising left-wing prospects last season.
Read more about Chelsea’s frustration at Liverpool’s interest in Ngumoha, here.
Liverpool reject bids for Sepp van den Berg after he impressed Arne Slot
Liverpool have rejected offers to sell Sepp van den Berg as the defender has impressed Arne Slot in pre-season training. That is according to The Athletic, which reports that 1.FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Wolfsburg have both submitted bids to sign the 22-year-old in the summer sales.
PSV Eindhoven also retain an interest in the Dutchman after he enjoyed a solid season with Mainz on loan last term. But while Liverpool value Van den Berg at £20m, Slot admires what the centre-back has offered at the AXA Training Centre and will take him on tour in the USA.
Slot is eager to hand Van den Berg a proper chance to prove himself through Liverpool’s pre-season fixture list. The former U21 international moved to Anfield back in July 2019 from his academy club PEC Zwolle but has so far only featured in four competitive first-team fixtures.
Read more about Slot’s plan for Van den Berg during Liverpool’s pre-season tour, here.
Ian Wright thinks Diogo Jota ‘must be disappointed’ after Euro 2024
Arsenal legend Ian Wright feels Liverpool forward Diogo Jota ‘must be disappointed’ with his role at Euro 2024 after Portugal crashed out in the quarter-finals. France dealt the Selecao a 5-3 defeat on penalties on Friday after their 0-0 draw at Hamburger SV’s Volksparkstadion.
Jota failed to feature in the tie after struggling to force a way into boss Roberto Martinez’s XI in Germany. The 27-year-old only featured for 97 of a possible 450 minutes over five fixtures following three cameo appearances. He never came off the bench prior to the 63rd minute.
Only six of Portugal’s 24-man team played fewer minutes than Jota over the Liverpool star’s Euro 2024. In contrast, Cristiano Ronaldo had the most minutes for an outfield Portugal star with 488. Yet the 39-year-old struggled to show Wright enough to merit featuring over Jota.
“I think the way he played at this Euro’s, despite how great he has been, surely Diogo Jota must be disappointed that he can’t get on that pitch?” Wright queried on The Overlap.
Read more about what Wright has said about Liverpool’s Jota at Euro 2024, here.
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