Latest news with #preaseason
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watch: Rio Ngumoha Scores Incredible Goal in Liverpool Victory
Rio Ngumoha Shows Class With Goal in Japan Bold Investment in Youth Already Paying Off Liverpool knew what they were getting. A teenage forward with technical quality, pace and confidence that defied his years. But even so, Rio Ngumoha's rapid development is catching the eye at a club where the bar has rarely been higher. The Reds navigated a complex five-step Premier League registration process to sign Ngumoha from Chelsea last year. At just 16, and not 17 until next month, Liverpool were restricted by youth protection protocols. Yet it was clear even then that the effort was worthwhile. Brilliant Goal Seals Liverpool's Win Ngumoha was trusted again by Arne Slot during Liverpool's 3-1 pre-season win over Yokohama F. Marinos, and he rewarded that faith with a goal of genuine quality. Introduced late in the match, the teenager delivered the game's standout moment in the 87th minute. Taking the ball inside his own half, Ngumoha drove forward with authority, skipped a challenge at the edge of the box and finished emphatically past goalkeeper Park Il-Kyu. It was a goal that carried the stamp of a player unfazed by his age or stage. Sky Sports' Peter Smith summed up the moment simply: 'This boy… what a talent!' Meanwhile, Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo awarded Ngumoha a 9/10 rating, writing that he 'tormented' the Yokohama defence and that his finish 'showcased exactly why there is so much excitement around him'. Path to the First Team Is Opening Ngumoha's appearances this summer have not gone unnoticed. Following the departure of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, there is now a vacancy on the left side of Liverpool's front three. While Cody Gakpo may be the current favourite, competition is not only welcome but required. The Athletic recently noted that Ngumoha could 'step up to provide genuine competition for Cody Gakpo on the left flank throughout the 2025/26 season.' Those words are gathering weight with every display. Photo: IMAGO Though he has just one senior competitive match to his name, an FA Cup appearance against Accrington Stanley in January, the pre-season minutes suggest Arne Slot views the young winger as a genuine option, not merely a project. Calm Praise, Clear Potential Calls for patience will be constant, and rightly so. But players like Rio Ngumoha rarely go unnoticed when they glide through challenges and finish with conviction at this level. Liverpool are right to shield him from overexposure, but they are equally right to give him space to breathe among senior players. This pre-season may not be the stage that defines Ngumoha's Liverpool career, but it is setting a strong foundation. On current evidence, the leap from academy prospect to first-team squad regular could happen sooner than anyone expected.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Defender's post-match message fuels debate over Liverpool future
Tsimikas Signals Liverpool Intent as Left-Back Battle Heats Up New season brings fresh left-back dilemma There is always something quietly compelling about a player who knows the weight of the shirt but rarely gets to wear it as often as he would like. Kostas Tsimikas, now entering his sixth season at Liverpool, has lived that reality. An honest professional, a fan favourite in certain corners, yet still a man whose future at Anfield hangs in the balance. Advertisement After the Reds' 3-1 win over Preston North End in their pre-season opener, Tsimikas posted a set of matchday photos on social media with the caption, 'Season Six, Episode One.' It felt subtle, but deliberate. A statement of intent from a player who appears far from finished at Liverpool. Slot's selection hints at pecking order Tsimikas got 45 minutes at Deepdale, starting ahead of Andy Robertson. That is noteworthy, especially in light of Arne Slot's move to sign Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth this summer. With three senior left-backs now on the books, the competition is intense. Photo IMAGO The club see Kerkez as a long-term investment. Young, dynamic and technically sharp, he fits the Slot blueprint. But experience still counts for something, and Tsimikas, having played 29 matches last season, knows this squad, the league and the tempo of the challenge ahead. Photo IMAGO Advertisement Robertson, meanwhile, was once linked with Atletico Madrid, but the Spanish side moved for Matteo Ruggeri instead. With only a year left on his contract, Robertson's future also remains unclear. Social media post speaks volumes Tsimikas's post was brief, but the message was clear. He is not preparing to walk away. He wants a fight. Liverpool, a club built on such spirit, may find use for that attitude. At 28, Tsimikas is no longer a project. He is a player with over 100 appearances for the club, one who has waited, rotated, and contributed without complaint. If Slot is to create a culture of intensity and trust, players like Tsimikas are worth keeping around.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Blades looking positive in Spanish sun
Sheffield United spent the past week in Girona taking part in a warm-weather training camp.I was able to spend Thursday and Friday observing the sessions, led by new manager Ruben conditions were very hot and humid with the Spaniard opting for a longer session in the morning rather than splitting things up throughout the saw exhaustive pressing drills in the heat, passing sequences, a lot of transition work plus a focus on would then spend some time in the gym. During downtime, some played golf while others preferred the increasingly popular padel Arblaster, the highly impressive young midfielder returning from injury, spoke positively about his hope of being back for the start of the season. Callum O'Hare and Harrison Burrows spoke of channelling play-off disappointment into an attempt to go one better this season. The manager reiterated his desire to produce an "intense" style of play. All of the players we spoke to were complimentary of the manager's style after their first few weeks spoke confidently about keeping key players such as Gus Hamer and Michael Cooper. He also acknowledged that while money could be available for the right signing, United are mostly looking at loans and free agents at the new additions are necessary but it's in the loan and free window where the Blades have had a lot of success in their recent team returns to England on Saturday after one final session. They play York City in a friendly on Tuesday.
