Liverpool are working to secure Rio Ngumoha on a new contract as interest from Arsenal continues to grow around the teenage winger.

Ngumoha has already made five more appearances for Liverpool this season and remains central to the club’s first-team thinking. That is notable given the summer arrivals of Bradley Barcola and Victor Muñoz, both of whom operate in the same left-wing role that suits the youngster best.

The situation is made more pressing by the fact that his current deal runs until 2028, with no agreement yet in place on an extension. David Ornstein has confirmed Arsenal’s interest on The Athletic FC podcast, while also stressing that Liverpool are not ready to entertain a sale.

“I think there is some interest from Arsenal in Rio Ngumoha,” said Ornstein. “There’s surely interest from lots of clubs in him, because he’s such a precocious talent. I did hear over the summer that they like him. They’re allowed to like him; that’s their prerogative. It doesn’t mean Liverpool are going to sell him.

“They want to renew his contract. He’s 18 and tied down at Anfield until 2028. I don’t know of an agreement yet on a new deal, so clearly that’s something they’ll try to progress.”

Liverpool regard the teenager as untouchable after already turning away interest from Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig last summer. Even so, the amount of football he receives under Andoni Iraola could prove important in the months ahead.

With Barcola, Muñoz and Cody Gakpo among the options on the flanks, there is pressure on the manager to keep Ngumoha involved and avoid any frustration while Liverpool work on a renewal.

“I heard Arsenal have some interest in him, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens with him and Liverpool because there is no suggestion he’s unhappy there,” Ornstein added.

“I reported over the summer that Ngumoha was actually Bayern Munich’s top target at one point to strengthen in the wing position. They’d done quite a lot of work on it, but it didn’t develop. Liverpool had no interest in trading him.

“RB Leipzig were another club credited with interest. What will be really interesting is to see how much game time he gets at Liverpool, because wingers are the big thing for Andoni Iraola.

“You would expect him to be a real asset for them. Let’s see how it develops.”

Arsenal’s interest is also tied to their lack of depth on the left side. Christos Tzolis has arrived from Club Brugge, but the loss of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard has left the area short of natural options.

At present, Tzolis is mainly competing with Eberechi Eze, who is more naturally suited to central attacking midfield. Mikel Arteta will want reinforcements soon, especially after Arsenal’s unsuccessful attempt to sign Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior over the summer.

Dominik Szoboszlai was quick to highlight the impact of Lewis Koumas and James McConnell after Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday evening, insisting the pair have shown enough to earn more opportunities in the first team.

Liverpool’s incoming manager made 10 changes from the side that had laboured in a goalless draw with Fulham on Saturday, with Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola all rested. That trio has cost more than $490 million over the past year, underlining the scale of the squad available and the significance of the younger players’ contribution.

Koumas and McConnell started as the energetic central pair in a 4-2-3-1 and delivered exactly the kind of work off the ball that has been demanded during this transition period. Szoboszlai was effusive when asked about them by Sky Sports.

“They both did a really good job,” Szoboszlai gushed to Sky Sports after the 2–1 win. “Koumas with his timing and McConnell with his running ability. Both of them deserve to play. They both played very well. And now they will make it really hard for the gaffer.”

The gaffer in question has already been full of praise for Koumas, particularly since preseason. “I said in the week and say it for a reason, I see it in training every day,” Iraola beamed on Tuesday. “The energy he shows is contagious for the rest. When they see the ones up front doing it, they are forced to go from behind.”

McConnell played in a slightly more advanced midfield role than usual, while Koumas stood out as the main presser at the top of an attack that looked far sharper without the ball. Liverpool won possession in the final third eight times against Spurs, double their average in the Premier League so far this season.

That sharpness contrasted with the previous match against Fulham, when Iraola pointed to a weak press as a major reason for the lack of threat. “We were recovering the ball always very low and when that happens you have to attack against 11 players and that makes it more difficult to make the difference,” Iraola fretted. “We need to recover the ball as high as possible because it makes the offensive side a lot easier, and we have more situations to attack in one vs. one.”

Iraola has also made clear where he believes the responsibility lies. “If the ones up front do their job very well then the defenders and midfielders look good,” he bluntly explained. “If the players ahead of you are doing their job then you look a better midfielder or defender because you win more easier duels, you have more chance of winning one. It is more collective.”

Liverpool now appear to have a clearer picture of Ronald Araújo’s loan arrangement, with reports indicating that an option to buy him does exist at the end of the spell from Barcelona. That detail had not previously been made public.

The defender has already made four league appearances and has drawn attention for his Player-of-the-Match showing in the 2-1 Champions League victory over Atlético Madrid, a match in which he also produced a back-heel assist. Under Andoni Iraola, he has mainly played at right back, a role that had earlier been viewed as a weak spot for the side.

Fabrizio Romano addressed the situation on his YouTube channel, saying he “misspoke” on a recent, unspecified podcast when stating there was no buy option in the agreement. He told viewers that Liverpool do, in fact, hold the chance to make the move permanent.

“Many of you asking me about his situation in terms of future, in terms of contract. I wanted to clarify something. I was mentioning on a podcast that he didn’t have a buy option clause,” he said.

“That’s not the case. It was just my mistake. I told you in the summer and I can confirm that my information I broke in August. I think it was there is a buy option clause for Liverpool and it’s worth €55 million ($63 million).”

Romano also said Liverpool are “delighted” with the start Araújo has made, while stressing it is “too early” to say whether both sides would want to complete a permanent deal.

The Daily Mail has since reported that Araújo is “loving life” in England and could stay on Merseyside beyond his initial season-long stay. It also says the three-time La Liga winner is working hard on his English.

After the Atlético Madrid win, Araújo said: “I’m really happy to be here, because Liverpool are a great club, and I’m really looking forward to continuing to give my all so I can keep contributing to the team.

“I love playing in this stadium; I think it’s a very special and lovely place, and when we’re also able to show off all our hard work here with a good result, it makes us feel very satisfied.”

If his form holds, pressure from supporters to complete the deal is likely to grow. His age may complicate matters, though, as he will be 28 by the end of the season and older than most players Liverpool’s FSG owners usually back with major spending. A permanent move would also be, by some distance, the most expensive signing in his age bracket in club history.