Arne Slot heaps praise on two Liverpool wonderkids ready for the first team after dazzling in pre-season - including one whose departure left rivals FURIOUS

Liverpool have spent £295million this summer – but two teenage sensations from the academy could be ready to play big roles in Arne Slot's team as they look to go back-to-back in the Premier League.

Rio Ngumoha, 16, and Trey Nyoni, 18, both found the net in the Reds' comeback win against Yokohama F Marinos in the Japanese heat, with £116m man Florian Wirtz also on the scoresheet.

And Slot hailed Ngumoha, who the club signed from Chelsea last summer and irked the west London club so badly that they banned Liverpool scouts from getting accreditation for games at Cobham.

'Rio again showed the quality he has,' said the Reds boss before their overnight flight home to the United Kingdom. 

'That is nice for us because we have a lot of very good players but to get some brand new players from the academy is helpful. It gives energy to the team.

'It is nice to see young players at 16, 17 or 18 impact the game. But there was also a moment in the game where he should have squared it to Curtis (Jones). But if you are 16 and you can impact games like he did, that is definitely a compliment.'

Chelsea legend John Terry publicly hailed Ngumoha as the best kid in their academy a year ago, while a former youth coach of two decades told Mail Sport: 'I first saw Rio when he was around 12. He is one of the best I've seen in my coaching journey.

'He's got a tight-knit family and in terms of attitude and mentality, there is zero opportunity for him to go astray or think he is bigger than what he is. They are buying very much with the idea he can become part of the first team and fulfil a certain position.

'Sometimes when players transition into adult football, they cannot replicate what they did in youth teams – but his decision-making has got better and he has not dropped off. He knows he cannot just run through the whole team any more, knows when to pass and when to dribble.'

With Luis Diaz this week completing a £65.5m move to Bayern Munich, Ngumoha is expected to provide competition to Cody Gakpo on the left flank. 

Fellow teenager Nyoni is also impressing Slot and Co in training and is fancied for more minutes this season.

Hugo Ekitike made his unofficial debut at the 2002 World Cup final and 2019 rugby World Cup final venue after his £79m move, while Wirtz continued to impress. Youngster Ben Doak missed out due to a passport and visa issue.

Boss Slot enjoyed several trips to Ibiza this summer to celebrate the Premier League title triumph – but insists it is now parked in the back of his mind, with focus purely turning to the upcoming campaign.

'I am focused on this season but I am aware of what we have achieved,' said Slot. 'I had quite a long holiday, five or six weeks, and because we won the league so early I could enjoy this for quite a long time.

'The moment we started again was the moment we stopped thinking about that. There are now no moments to enjoy what we did last season, our focus must be on this season. It will be another tough season.

'I also don't forget we went to Wembley and had to watch Newcastle lifting a trophy. In two weeks we go to Wembley again (in the Community Shield, against Crystal Palace) and we need to show a different face.'