Can Cody Gakpo spark a Liverpool turnaround? Premium

The Reds, languishing outside the Champions League qualification spots, will hope their January signing hits the ground running. What does the in-demand Dutch forward bring to the mix?

Weakened by injuries and plagued by inconsistent form, Liverpool has endured an incredibly challenging Premier League season. With eight wins, four draws and five losses, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have looked well off the pace for Champions League qualification and are currently outside the top four; they will need a stunning turnaround to have any chance of contending for the title. 

To remedy matters, Liverpool acted swiftly in the January transfer window, securing the signature of Cody Gakpo, the highly sought-after Dutch forward. The 23-year-old, who scored three goals for the Netherlands at the World Cup, joined the Merseyside club from PSV Eindhoven for a reported initial fee of 42 million euros. Gakpo bagged 55 goals and supplied 50 assists in 159 appearances for PSV, which included a red-hot streak of nine goals and 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie games before the World Cup break.

Liverpool’s move, in theory, did three things: it addressed an immediate need, providing attacking reinforcement for a side that has lost Luis Diaz to a knee injury and Diogo Jota to a calf problem; it prevented a direct rival from strengthening, for British media reports said Manchester United was also chasing Gakpo; it also future-proofed the forward line, ensuring a replacement has the time to be ready before Mohamed Salah (30) and Roberto Firmino (31) need replacing. 

“There is a lot to like about Cody,” Klopp told the club’s official website, explaining the thought process behind the signing. “He is still only 23 but he already has a lot of experience. He was the captain of PSV, he was the player of the year in Holland last season and, as a lot of people have just seen, he also had a great World Cup. 

“It is clear that he is already a really, really good player, but his age also means he has the potential to become even better. Offensively, he is very versatile and, on top of this, we know he is a smart footballer and a smart person, so we are really excited to be able to work with him.”

While the Gakpo move makes eminent sense on paper, it isn’t without risk. For one thing, it remains to be seen whether he can replicate the success he has had in the Netherlands in a significantly stronger, more physically intense league. There is also the knock-on effect his purchase could have on Liverpool’s transfer activity. Klopp will likely have less to spend in January, not ideal given that the midfield still needs strengthening.  

“I would say in principle it’s like this for all people in the world: the money you spend has an impact on the money you can spend [in the future],” Klopp said. “We know what we want to do and we will see if we can do it. [But] I don’t want to disappoint anybody, we signed an outstanding player and the next thing you read is, ‘Who next?’ We cannot play like Monopoly.”