Four players Liverpool MUST sell to clear youngster's pathway

Liverpool beat Athletic Bilbao in their first pre-season match at Anfield and the main talk to come away from it was the 16-year-old Rio Nguhmoa.

During a 4-1 win, Ngumoha scored one and assisted another, including an excellent finish outside the box, to announce himself to his home supporters.

He now looks set to feature more regularly in Arne Slot’s team. The only question is who could Liverpool move on to accelerate Ngumoha’s pathway?

Darwin Nunez

First up is a player Liverpool have been looking to sell for a while, but as of yet have made no progress.

It is no secret that Nunez will be allowed to leave Liverpool this summer, but despite early interest from Napoli, the Uruguayan remains at Anfield.

Still, with a few weeks left in the window, the prospect of the 26-year-old leaving is not entirely ruled out and there has been interest from Saudi club Al Hilal.

They have reportedly made him their “primary target” and should a sale come off, it would mean one less player between Ngumoha and the first team.

Harvey Elliott

Elliott knows exactly what it can be like to try to break into the Liverpool first team, having been at Anfield since he was 16.

The attacking midfielder joined from Fulham in July 2019 and having become the youngest player to start a game at Anfield, it looked like he was on a natural progression to first-team football.

However, he now appears to have fallen down the pecking order in Slot’s mind after a broken foot restricted him to just 18 games in the league last year.

He impressed with the England under-21s this summer and has been linked with an Anfield exit this summer.

James Maddison’s injury in pre-season has reportedly encouraged Spurs to step up their interest in the 22-year-old, with West Ham and Newcastle also linked with his signature.

Federico Chiesa

A year on from his arrival, Chiesa looks a puzzling signing for Liverpool as the Italian rarely featured last season.

His most notable moment was a late goal in Liverpool’s unsuccessful League Cup final.

But in the Premier League, Chiesa made just six appearances, including a couple of run-outs just to ensure he would get a medal.

Just two goals in 14 games demonstrate the 27-year-old’s difficulty settling and he could leave the club just one year after joining.

READ: 7 quotes about ‘fearless’ Liverpool wonderkid Rio Ngumoha: ‘He’s incredible at his age’

Ben Doak

Liverpool signed right winger Doak in the summer of 2022 from Celtic, but he has since played just three league games for the club.

Last season, he was sent on loan to Middlesbrough, playing 24 times as the club finished 10th in the Championship, and he could be allowed to leave this summer.

In January, Liverpool turned down bids from Preston and Ipswich and now the likes of West Ham and Wolves are said to be interested in signing the 19-year-old.

However, the Scotland international did do his Liverpool chances some good with a goal against Athletic.

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