Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola is already being forced to cover for the biggest transfer mistake the club’s hierarchy has made.The Reds ranked Mohamed Salah as the fourth greatest player in Anfield history and yet have little over four weeks to replace him.Mohamed Salah bid an emotional farewell to Liverpool in May, and he is still yet to find a new clubGettyTwo teenagers who haven’t played a minute of Premier League football have started at right-wing in each of Iraola’s first two games.That normally wouldn’t set any alarm bells ringing in pre-season, especially one that takes place after a World Cup with senior stars on extended breaks.However, in Liverpool’s case, the cavalry won’t be belatedly arriving to solve the right-wing issue after Salah’s exit at the end of last season.Against Wrexham, 16-year-old academy talent Joshua Abe was entrusted to start the first half, before Rio Ngumoha took the reins.The 17-year-old – who made his England debut in June on the right flank – hinted at further developing his game on the opposite side to his favoured left-wing at the start of pre-season.“Being unpredictable off both sides is key,” he said. “Obviously, everyone knows I can play on the left, but on the right I feel like I’m improving and I’m getting better.“So, yeah, definitely off the left and the right this season.”Ngumoha did indeed score the only goal from the right in the win over Wrexham, with his deflected effort finding the far top corner.However, the former Cobham starlet is understandably still hugely raw in his new role, having completed just one of his four attempted dribbles while also only managing two touches in the Wrexham box.Liverpool head coach Iraola said afterwards: “I normally used to try to encourage our wingers to have the ability to play both sides. Liverpool surely had a better plan than to hope Iraola could plug the right wing with a player who favours the left?AFPNgumoha showed against Wrexham why he’ll need time to develop as a winger who can play both sidesGetty“I know some of them are more comfortable on one side, but our team is not normally symmetrical,” Iraola continued.“Also, in pre-season, I have to see where they are more comfortable, but in my previous clubs most of the wingers have played both sides.”What was Liverpool’s Salah-succession plan before Iraola?The Reds even surprised Arne Slot when the decision was ultimately made to part ways with the Dutchman at the end of May.But the club’s hierarchy knew months before that Salah’s succession plan was being moved up a year after ripping up his contract.Steven Gerrard told talkSPORT that his dream pick was Michael Olise, but he accepted getting him out of Bayern Munich was fanciful.Meanwhile, his former Liverpool teammate Michael Owen also suggested Jarrod Bowen prior to the latter remaining at West Ham.Salah is the most notable departure from Liverpool this summerGettyHierarchy shake-upWhat Slot’s plan would have been for his right side had he stayed at Liverpool is anybody’s guess after a myriad of failed experiments.In games Salah was absent for last season, the Dutchman deployed Jeremie Frimpong and Dominik Szoboszlai at times on the wing – neither of which would have been a long-term solution.The elephant in the room in terms of Liverpool’s transfers is that Michael Edwards, who played a vital role in Salah’s arrival under Jurgen Klopp, has stepped down as Fenway Sports Group’s (FSG) CEO of football.Current Reds sporting director Richard Hughes has also been linked with a move to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, but remains in charge of incomings and outgoings on Merseyside this summer.Munoz played 18 games for Osasuna last season on the left and made 10 appearances on the rightGettyLiverpool have indeed been in the market for wingers this summer, having been snubbed in their pursuit of Yan Diomande.The club then successfully hijacked Newcastle’s move for Spain star Victor Munoz in a £34million swoop.The World Cup winner is predominantly a left winger, but does fit Iraola’s bill of being able to operate on the right.So too is top target Bradley Barcola, for whom talkSPORT understands the Reds are now readying a €100m (around £85m) offer, plus add-ons for the Paris Saint-Germain forward.The France international has only played on the right flank 37 times in his career and at that price is clearly going to operate in his favoured left position.Over the last two seasons, Barcola has played more than two-thirds of his games on the left wingGetty‘Square pegs in round holes’Liverpool explored signing Barcola in 2025 when a price of around €85m (around £73m) was quoted, but reports claimed a desire not to block a pathway for Ngumoha saw their pursuit abandoned.12 months on, the club may argue that Salah’s premature exit has necessitated a rethink, which is why Ngumoha is being tried on the right.But it would be an almost insurmountable burden for a teenager learning a new role to be expected to replace Salah in only his second full season as a professional, rather than being the chief understudy on both wings to more experienced players.Peterborough United chairman and Liverpool fan Darragh MacAnthony has admitted he is not enamoured with Barcola’s arrival.He told talkSPORT’s Alex Crook: “I’m with Jamie Carragher in the camp. I saw him the other day talking about it. We have like three, four left-wingers already, players who can play there. We need to fill the void left by Salah.Frimpong will be needed at right-back more often than not, with Conor Bradley a long-term absenteeGetty“Frimpong was meant to help with that, but we know he’s had injury issues last year. Not quite what we like to see out wide right when he did play. We need a right winger. It’s concerning.“And we’re going out, and we’re getting another pacy player who plays on the left the majority of the time. “So, unless Rio’s going to get put on the right, you know, square pegs, round holes, all that kind of thing. I don’t know. I don’t love it because of the money.“If he was £60-70 million, and I get it, he’s not, you think, okay, it’s a no-brainer. “Then you maybe sell [Cody] Gakpo, and you clear up some space on the left. You still go get a right winger.”MacAnthony added: “Liverpool have got a lot of holes to fill.“And you’ve got to start at right wing to fill Mo Salah’s departure. So, it does concern me that we’re going down this rabbit hole where we might end up paying, I don’t know, like the [Florian] Wirtz money; you overpay.“And then does the player adapt to the Premier League, and is it another bad signing? It’s frustrating for me.”