Liverpool reached an agreement to sign Cody Gakpo of PSV Eindhoven last night. It is understood that the Merseyside club have derailed Manchester United’s plans to bring him aboard as the Red Devils were among the favourites to sign him. The Reds are willing to pay a transfer fee in the region of £35- £45 million for the Netherlands international after his recent run of form caught the eye in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Gakpo’s Rich Run Of Form For PSV And Netherlands So Far This Season
Gakpo has had a brilliant campaign at Philips Stadion so far as he has produced several influential displays on the left flank of the attacking third. The 23-year-old has been involved in 24 matches this season, banging in 13 goals and creating 17 assists in the process, across multiple competitions.
He also scored three goals for the Netherlands over five appearances in the 2022 FIFA World Cup helping his nation reach the quarter-finals stage.
The Netherlands international has been dominant for Eindhoven in the final third based on his average of 3.6 shots, 4.2 key passes and 1.9 dribbles per game in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has also been tidy with his ball distribution after completing 76.5% of his attempted passes in the Dutch top flight (stats via whoscored).
How Does He Fit Into Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool?
Gakpo excels at getting out of tight situations creating a yard of space for himself in front of the goal. The Dutch talent has the ability to find the back of the net with power and accuracy contributing to the attack significantly. He has got the vision to engineer some clear-cut chances in the final third and can make some dangerous runs at the attacking end of the field. Furthermore, he is only 23 years old so he is only going to get better over the coming seasons if he continues working on his game and stays clear of injuries.
The Dutch sensation is primarily a left-sided wide player but can also function as a centre-forward if required which makes him a decent fit for Jurgen Klopp as he can slot in the left-wing position immediately with Luis Diaz injured for the long term.
At the moment, Gakpo is at the top of his game considering his recent run of form in the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament with the Netherlands. He would definitely inject more firepower into Klopp’s attacking department at Anfield and would prove to be a brilliant addition to the squad. Thus, Liverpool have done well to go all in for this PSV forward and reach an agreement with him before the January transfer window commences.
