Transfer Centre

How Liverpool could line up with Cody Gakpo

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 27 December 2022

Sports Mole takes a look at how Liverpool could line up with Cody Gakpo following confirmation of the 23-year-old's January signing.

PSV Eindhoven attacker Cody Gakpo will soon be donning the red colours of one of English football's most successful sides, but very few anticipated the announcement that came from the Dutch club on Boxing Day.

Seemingly destined to head for Manchester United, Gakpo will instead be making the move to Liverpool in the January transfer window, with PSV confirming his mid-season switch to Anfield on Monday evening.

Jurgen Klopp's side are expected to pay an upfront fee of £37m to sign the 23-year-old, which could rise to as much as £50m with performance-related add-ons, and his arrival comes at the ideal time for a Liverpool side bedevilled by injuries in the final third.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at how Liverpool could line up with Gakpo in the first XI.

Liverpool XI w/Gakpo © Reuters

Following a similar path to that of Luis Diaz - one of three Liverpool attackers currently sidelined by injury - the versatile Gakpo is expected to nail down the left-wing spot upon his arrival next month.

Fellow January signing Diaz has suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury and is expected to remain sidelined until March following surgery, while Diogo Jota is still some weeks away from recovering from a calf problem.

As a result, Gakpo can look forward to regular starts on the left wing for the next couple of months, with Fabio Carvalho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain set to act as his deputies for the time being.

The Netherlands international, who scored three goals at the World Cup as part of a front two with Memphis Depay, is also more than capable of filling in at centre-forward, where Darwin Nunez is currently trying to make a name for himself.

Roberto Firmino's calf injury has left Nunez short of cover up top, and while the Brazilian's issue should not take too long to heal, Klopp can breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that Gakpo will put his hand up to a start in the number nine position.

An intimidating front three of Gakpo, Nunez and Mohamed Salah will seemingly be the way forward for Liverpool before Diaz and Jota recover from their respective injuries, and the Dutchman can look forward to Thiago Alcantara pulling the strings behind him.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson - who now holds the Premier League assist record for defenders with 54 - will also be providing the service to Gakpo, who will also relish sharing club duties with Netherlands teammate Virgil van Dijk.