James Pearce responds to reports Bayern have made Rio Ngumoha their “main target”

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Empire of the Kop

·5. Juni 2026

James Pearce responds to reports Bayern have made Rio Ngumoha their “main target”

Liverpool will not entertain a sale of Rio Ngumoha to Bayern Munich this summer.

That’s the official stance of the club, with James Pearce at The Athletic stating the notion of a sale is ‘ludicrous’ at a time when the club needs to bolster the wing positions.

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To that end, the Reds are reportedly hunting down RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande.

Bayern want to sign Rio Ngumoha

According to David Ornstein’s original report, the former Chelsea sensation is not only a surprise candidate to beef up their left side, but also their “main target”.

We here at Empire of the Kop have it on good authority that they’ve been focused heavily on the likes of Mika Godts and PSV’s Ismael Saibari. So they’ve kept this very much under wraps!

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But let’s be honest here, the odds of a deal taking place aren’t fantastic are they?

There are already rumours of Tottenham interest in Cody Gakpo, and Mo Salah’s departure leaves us criminally short on the right-hand side.

If we were to place bets at the Richard Casino, we’d be keeping our money far away from the prospect of Rio Ngumoha ending up in Germany this summer.

Liverpool’s position is clear: Ngumoha will not go to the Bundesliga

The timing is cheeky from FC Bayern, but we can appreciate the interest. They’ve just secured another Bundesliga title, having fallen short of the Champions League final to eventual winners PSG.

They’ve got a top-class left-sided winger in Luis Diaz but need a backup option who won’t expect to start every game. Are there many who fit that bill more perfectly than 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha?

But, as James Pearce rightly pointed out: “Liverpool need to buy wide forwards this summer, not sell them, with Mohamed Salah having left and Federico Chiesa also expected to depart.

“Ngumoha finished the season as Liverpool’s first choice left winger and the expectation is that he will be a regular starter under new head coach Andoni Iraola.”

Respectfully, Bayern can look elsewhere.

We’ve likewise now got a manager in place who will give opportunities to young players. In fact, he’s categorically come out and admitted he’s excited to be joining the club while Liverpool’s key stars are out at the World Cup, as it means he’ll get time to personally assess our young crop of talent.

There’s a golden opportunity for Ngumoha to get the minutes and development he deserves at an elite European outfit.

Why leave?