Liverpool FC have completed the signing of Dutch forward Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven for an initial fee of €50million (£44m). The deal could eventually rise to €53million (£47m). Gakpo, who is 23 years old, had been strongly linked to Manchester United earlier in the summer, but the Red Devils opted to sign Antony instead.
The move to Anfield is seen as an answer to Liverpool’s need for reinforcements in the attacking department, with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota both out injured. Gakpo is an exciting prospect who made his mark at the World Cup for the Netherlands and has been in impressive form for PSV over the past year.
Here’s a video from Liverpool showing Cody Gakpo signing the contract
He is seen as a direct replacement for Sadio Mané, who departed for FC Bayern in the summer, and is a similar player in terms of his direct dribbling ability and skill on the ball. He has the ability to play on either wing, but is most effective when cutting inside onto his stronger right foot. Gakpo is also capable of playing in central areas, either as a striker or as an attacking midfielder between two wide forwards.
The signing of Gakpo is a rare example of a club needing to fill a gap in their squad midseason and a quality player potentially able to fill it being available at the right time. His ability to create and score goals from wide areas is demonstrated by his scouting report on FBref, which shows he is certainly an outstanding player—maybe the outstanding player—at this level, ranking between the 96th and 99th percentiles for all metrics related to attacking output.
Liverpool fans will be hoping that Gakpo can make an immediate impact and help the team get back to their best form. With the January transfer window now open, it could be the start of a busy month at Anfield as the Reds look to strengthen their squad further.
Gakpo arrives with a strong reputation, having come through the ranks at PSV, and the club will be hoping he can hit the ground running in the Premier League. He has the ability to play in a variety of attacking positions, so he should slot into Klopp’s system with no issues.
With Jurgen Klopp’s side currently sitting in sixth place in the league, the signing of Gakpo could prove to be a major boost for Liverpool’s chances of securing a top-four finish this season. He certainly has the ability to make an immediate impact and could be the spark that Liverpool need to get back to their best form.
In the long term, Gakpo could be the perfect player to fill the void left by Sadio Mane’s departure to Bayern Munich. His ability to create and score goals from wide areas is almost unparalleled and he should be a valuable asset to Klopp’s side in the years to come.
The signing of Gakpo shows Liverpool’s commitment to improving their squad and could be the first of many new arrivals at Anfield this January.
