Rio Ngumoha leaves Liverpool with transfer conundrum after friendly win over Wrexham | OneFootball

Rio Ngumoha thrived off the right and scored the only goal in Liverpool’s pre-season win over Wrexham in New York, leaving Andoni Iraola with a potential transfer conundrum.

The 17-year-old sensation saw his deflected effort loop in off Wrexham defender Lewis Brunt in the 75th minute, an action which proved the difference at the famous Yankee Stadium.

A night which saw the Reds launch their new away kit, Ngumoha was brought on as a second-half substitute by Iraola and was deployed at right wing, a position that is currently central to Liverpool’s transfer plans after the departure of Mohamed Salah at the end of last season.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a big-money move for Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, with widespread reports claiming the club are readying an opening bid.

After Ngumoha’s impressive cameo, however, it remains to be seen how willing Liverpool will be to break the bank for Barcola, particularly given their desire to avoid hindering the highly-rated youngster’s development.

“On from the end of last season, I just want to play and start as many games as I can,” Ngumoha told Liverpool’s official website. “These games are a really good showcase to show the manager, because it’s a fresh start for everyone. It’s really important and it’s good.”

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Rio Ngumoha impressed off the right against Wrexham (Getty)

The result continued Liverpool’s winning start to pre-season after their opening 4-2 triumph over Sunderland in Nashville.

Iraola gave his assessment of the game, saying: “I think overall we were more solid than the other day. It was a different kind of game, the pitch is quite narrow and there are not a lot of spaces.

“But I think we had good spells. And even if the other day maybe you score more goals and it looks nicer, I think today we were more a team and more collective.

On infusing his identity into the squad, he added: “I think we’re still not there. We are sometimes arriving late, but I think it’s a step forward, since especially the first half against Sunderland. That is more of a reference than the second half.

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Andoni Iraola was triumphant in his second Liverpool outing (Getty)

“Slowly, slowly I hope every game we are closer and closer. We start to add new bodies, because now we are playing with a lot of the young players. Slowly, slowly we have to add the senior players that are starting to train with us, so we can arrive to the beginning of the season in a good place.”

Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States finishes against Leeds United at Chicago’s Soldier Field on 2 August.