Fantastic news, Liverpool deal should be official soon thanks to Andoni Iraola

Fantastic news, Liverpool deal should be official soon thanks to Andoni Iraola Liverpool have moved closer to getting a deal done, as we see it. And it's all thanks to some clever work from Andoni Iraola. Liverpool have some complex contract situations to sort right now - it's far from easy for Julian Ward. Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker are the most high-profile of those, as both have expiring contracts. Sorting them isn't easy given their ages. Alisson nearly left in the summer, too, with Juventus heavily interested in signing him. Then there are Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas - two players who would need replacing if they're allowed to leave with the end of their deals next summer. And what of Alexis Mac Allister? A world-class player who's very open about wanting an offer, but hasn't got one. That's not even all, either. Ward and company have another contract situation to sort and it could be the one with the biggest long-term impact. Rio Ngumoha's contract situation Rio Ngumoha has a contract that runs until 2028, meaning Liverpool need to get that sorted soon before things get very complicated. This isn't a player you want to lose on the cheap, after all. Now, I got something wrong on this one . I felt that Liverpool had made a massive mistake with the player as they were shifting out to the right-hand side where he isn't naturally comfortable. Ngumoha's game is about cutting inside and working a shot off his right foot - something he can't do on the wrong flank. Putting him out there, in a position he doesn't naturally play, felt like a major risk at a time when Liverpool need to convince the teenager to stay long-term. But I'll hold my hands up - I was wrong. Ngumoha is getting better and better at the role and has now come out and admitted that he likes playing there as he sees himself improving. “I feel like I’ve got a lot better playing there from the Newcastle game until now,” he said, per the Athletic . “I’m understanding it more. Going away with England helped a lot as well. I like playing on both sides. It gives me another tool in the toolbox.” It felt like too much to ask of a young player who hasn't played a full senior season. I shouldn't have doubted just how good Ngumoha is, then, as he's now a proper option out there when he really wasn't a couple of months ago. The result? It feels as though Ngumoha is more likely to sign a new deal as he can now get minutes at Anfield across two positions. And it feels as though Liverpool are more likely to give him a good deal because he can now cover two positions for them. It's a great situation, then. The position change has nudged Ngumoha closer to a new deal - and that's simply fantastic.