Liverpool are approaching a fascinating period under Andoni Iraola, and sporting director Julian Ward has some enormous decisions ahead of him.

We’ve spent plenty of time discussing the problems within this squad, particularly the midfield, but recent performances have changed the complexion of several conversations.

Rio Ngumoha’s development has been extraordinary. Alexis Mac Allister is producing numbers that demand attention. Trey Nyoni is increasingly influencing how Liverpool play. Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker face uncertain contractual futures.

For me, these are four interconnected priorities. What Liverpool decide over the coming months will tell us plenty about their ambitions, their recruitment strategy and their ability to build a team capable of winning major trophies.

Rio Ngumoha Must Be Julian Ward’s Number One Priority

I’ve previously argued that Liverpool should get Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker into a room, ask them to write down a number and sort everything else afterwards.

My priorities have changed.

Rio Ngumoha is now the most urgent contract situation at Liverpool.

Lewis Steele has reported that talks are ongoing over an extension to his current deal, which expires in 2028. Both parties are confident, and Rio wants to stay.

That’s encouraging, particularly with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and other leading European clubs monitoring his situation.

There are three reasons I consider this deal essential.

First, the level of interest tells you how highly Ngumoha is regarded. Second, losing a player Liverpool brought from Chelsea and developed through a clear first-team pathway would send an awful message about the club’s ability to retain elite young talent.

Third, his value is increasing almost every week.

And the numbers explain why.

Before the LASK match on 14 October, Ngumoha had played 247 minutes, attempting 11 dribbles and completing five.

That’s a success rate of 45.5%, averaging 4.01 attempts and 1.82 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

Perfectly respectable numbers for an 18-year-old adapting to playing on the right.

What happened next was remarkable.

Against LASK, he completed seven of nine dribbles. Against Brentford, three from three. Against Villarreal, nine from ten.

That’s 19 successful dribbles from 22 attempts across 197 minutes, an extraordinary 86.4% success rate.

His attempted dribbles per 90 have increased from 4.01 to 10.05. Successful dribbles have climbed from 1.82 to 8.68.

Those numbers are ridiculous.

And the Villarreal performance provided the perfect illustration.

Ngumoha repeatedly attacked defenders, beating three players in the move that created Mac Allister’s goal. He could potentially have gone down under contact, but continued towards the byline and delivered the cutback.

Against Brentford, his driving run also contributed directly to Vitaly Janelt receiving his second yellow card.

These are significant contributions that conventional goals and assists statistics can overlook.

Credit must go to Iraola for developing Ngumoha’s game on the right.

We cannot expect an 86.4% dribble success rate to continue indefinitely. The sample remains small, but even a meaningful reduction would leave him producing exceptional figures.

Julian Ward needs to recognise what Liverpool have here.

The negotiations may prove difficult. His representatives will understandably seek the best possible contract, particularly given the interest elsewhere.

There are occasions when established wage structures need flexibility.

For me, this is one of them.

Alexis Mac Allister’s Numbers Demand a Contract Rethink

The second major issue concerns Liverpool’s midfield, where Alexis Mac Allister has completely changed the conversation.

Remember the concerns about his legs? The suggestion that Liverpool should sell him and move on?

Look at what he’s producing now.

Mac Allister has scored three goals in three Champions League appearances this season, including twice against Villarreal.

He has also reached eight Champions League goals at Anfield, matching Sadio Mané’s total and reaching that figure in fewer appearances than Fernando Torres.

That’s particularly impressive when you consider how much of his European football for Liverpool has been played in a deeper midfield role.

But his overall development is even more revealing.

Seven of the eight metrics I’ve examined have increased compared with last season.

His accurate passes per 90 have risen from 43.47 to 46.58. Recoveries have increased from 3.89 to 4.73, while defensive contributions have climbed from 6.63 to 8.73.

He’s also winning possession more frequently in the final third.

The attacking figures are particularly interesting.

His expected goals per 90 have increased from 0.17 to 0.27, while expected assists have risen from 0.08 to 0.15.

Those might look like relatively modest improvements.

Extrapolate them across the 3,884 minutes he played last season, however, and you’re looking at approximately 4.38 additional expected goals and 3.29 additional expected assists.

If those rates continue, the projected attacking output becomes hugely significant.

Of course, expected goals and expected assists are projections of chance quality, not guaranteed goals or assists.

But the underlying improvement is clear.

We’ve spoken about Dominik Szoboszlai’s attacking contributions and how important they were to his contract renewal.

Mac Allister is now showing the potential to deliver comparable attacking output alongside his outstanding all-round midfield performances.

For me, he’s Liverpool’s best midfielder by a considerable distance at present.

And yet he’s the one whose long-term future remains uncertain.

That deserves serious consideration from Julian Ward.

Nyoni Reflects on Liverpool Pre-Season Tour: “I Still Need to Keep Improving” | The Liverpool Offside

Trey Nyoni Is Changing Liverpool’s Midfield Plans

Trey Nyoni has created another fascinating problem for Liverpool, although I’d describe this as a positive one.

We’ve spent months discussing which midfielders Liverpool should sign. Now we’re watching a young player increasingly influence the structure of Iraola’s team.

There’s a subtle tactical adjustment when Nyoni plays.

Rather than always operating with a conventional double pivot and Florian Wirtz ahead, Liverpool can resemble a 4-1-4-1.

Nyoni receives possession in front of the centre-backs, dictates the tempo and progresses the ball.

His recent statistics underline that responsibility.

Across the LASK, Brentford and Villarreal matches, he recorded 260 touches, attempted 223 passes and completed 204.

That’s 91.5% passing accuracy.

Against Villarreal alone, he attempted 88 passes, the most of any Liverpool player, and completed 82 while also making seven recoveries.

The relationship with Mac Allister is particularly encouraging.

Across the season, the pair average 16.6 passes between them per 90 minutes. Mac Allister and Szoboszlai average 16.8, while Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch average 11.5.

More interestingly, during their 139 shared minutes against Brentford and Villarreal, Mac Allister and Nyoni averaged 19.4 passes between them per 90.

You can see the connection developing.

Both players move possession quickly, recognise opportunities to break lines and help Liverpool establish rhythm.

Nyoni is still developing, and managing his minutes will be important. But we’ve reached a point where he’s contributing considerably more than a youngster receiving occasional 20-minute appearances.

That complicates January recruitment.

Liverpool have been linked with Alex Scott and Lamine Camara, two players we’ve discussed extensively.

Scott offers progressive qualities, while Camara represents another potential midfield solution.

But where would either fit alongside Mac Allister, Nyoni and Wirtz?

And if Liverpool sign Camara with the intention of eventually replacing Mac Allister, what does that mean for the Argentine’s transfer value?

These questions require proper planning.

By January, Liverpool will have played approximately 26 competitive matches. That provides a much stronger evidence base for Iraola and Ward to determine their preferred midfield combinations.

I want Liverpool planning several transfer windows ahead, understanding who fits the system and which players genuinely improve the squad.

Nyoni’s emergence deserves to be central to those discussions.

Thanks for reading It Was Always... Liverpool! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Liverpool’s Winning Ambitions

That brings us to two Liverpool legends whose futures require different approaches.

I would love both Van Dijk and Alisson to finish their Liverpool careers lifting another major trophy.

But their situations appear to be developing differently.

With Van Dijk, patience is important.

Julian Ward has previously demonstrated his willingness to negotiate lengthy contract situations, including Mohamed Salah’s 2022 renewal.

However, Van Dijk has reasons of his own to wait.

At 35, he’s considering what could be his final major contract. He wants to understand Liverpool’s plans, the players arriving, those potentially departing and whether the club can realistically compete for the biggest prizes.

That’s entirely reasonable.

Van Dijk carries enormous influence within football. He wants to win, and Liverpool need to demonstrate that their ambitions match his.

Securing Ngumoha’s future and resolving the midfield would strengthen the club’s position in those discussions.

Liverpool news: What does future hold for Van Dijk and Alisson? Have your say - BBC Sport

Alisson’s situation feels considerably less encouraging.

There has been little indication of renewed contract negotiations, and Liverpool already have Giorgi Mamardashvili, Luca Brughmans and Vítězslav Jaroš within their goalkeeping plans.

I’ve also heard suggestions Liverpool could consider recruiting another goalkeeper.

Names such as Bart Verbruggen and Diogo Costa have been discussed.

For me, replacing Alisson requires serious thought about immediate quality.

Liverpool need a goalkeeper capable of helping them compete for major honours now. Long-term investments are important, but the squad must also contain players ready to deliver immediately.

And that’s the wider point connecting all four priorities.

Liverpool have outstanding young talent, established elite performers and important decisions approaching.

Ward and Iraola must determine how those pieces fit together.

My priority remains getting Ngumoha secured, establishing a clear midfield strategy and presenting Van Dijk with a convincing vision of Liverpool’s future.

There are encouraging signs, particularly in the development of Ngumoha and Nyoni and Mac Allister’s return to his best.

Now Liverpool need to turn those signs into a coherent plan.

Because ultimately, the objective remains winning the biggest trophies.

It Was Always... Liverpool

Liverpool Face Four Huge Decisions That Could…