Forget Koumas Liverpool, Rio Ngumoha after Gakpo injury gives hope

Forget Koumas Liverpool, Rio Ngumoha after Gakpo injury gives hope as Andoni Iraola confronts a sudden loss to his attacking line‑up. The Dutch forward’s Nations League knock‑out has left the Reds without one of their best players, opening a chance for the 18‑year‑old to shine.

Gakpo injury sidelines Liverpool’s front‑line

Cody Gakpo, 27, was forced off in the first half of the Netherlands’ 2‑1 Nations League win against Serbia on Sunday evening and has returned to the AXA Training Centre for assessment. Dutch boss Xavi expressed concern after the match and reliable journalist Rik Elfrink confirmed Gakpo will miss the remainder of the extended international break, likely several weeks.

Andoni Iraola, who has overseen an unbeaten start to the season, said Gakpo has been one of Liverpool’s best performers this term. The forward had attracted summer interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, with speculation of an £85 million move if a replacement had been signed, but the club retained him and his form has justified that decision.

Young forwards poised to fill the void

Lewis Koumas, 21, has already made an impact after impressive Championship loan spells, featuring 86 minutes in an EFL Cup start against Tottenham and earning praise for his work rate. Despite his progress, the injury to Gakpo forces Iraola to look beyond Koumas for additional options.

Rio Ngumoha, 18, logged 31 appearances and over 1,000 minutes in the 2025‑26 campaign, though he struggled for minutes under Arne Slot. He prefers to operate on the left but has often been deployed on the right, starting three of Liverpool’s seven matches this term without registering a goal contribution.

Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand labelled Ngumoha ‘special’, and Iraola values versatile attackers. With senior wide players Bradley Barcola and Victor Munoz also favouring the left, Ngumoha could see more minutes on his favoured flank if he proves adaptable.

Annegret Hilse, via Reuters, is a Senior Editor at GIVEMESPORT and has spent more than ten years in online football media. She earned a Sports Journalism degree from Southampton Solent University in 2012. James Beavis joined Football FanCast in 2016 after three years at Shoot Magazine, moved to GMS in 2020, and now maintains strong working relationships with Fabrizio Romano and Ben Jacobs as part of an exclusives initiative. Give readers insight into how these seasoned journalists shape the coverage of stories like Liverpool’s injury crisis.