Cody Gakpo has revealed that he’s spoken with Arne Slot about the role he’s expected to play for Liverpool this season.
There has been some debate as to where the 25-year-old best fits into the Reds’ frontline, with Jurgen Klopp having often deployed him through the middle, although the Netherlands international scored three times from a left-sided position at Euro 2024.
The Reds’ number 18 gave an interview to liverpoolfc.com in which he outlined that our new head coach has had a conversation with him about where he’s likeliest to fit into the team.
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Gakpo said of his discussion with Slot: “I spoke to him and obviously he sees me as a left winger. That’s how I think he sees me. We have a lot of players in the front line and you know the season is long and there can be some injuries in every position.
“He said, ‘You’re playing there but maybe I need you in another position, you can play there as well. Just be ready.’ For me, I’m here and I try to play the best football I can and help the club as much as I can with my qualities.”
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Gakpo’s fine efforts at Euro 2024 appear to have persuaded Slot to view him primarily as a left winger for Liverpool, with Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota likely to be vying for the centre-forward berth.
However, all of the Reds’ attackers have proven capable of playing in multiple roles, and the evidence of pre-season indicates that the new head coach allows for plenty of positional fluidity during matches, rather than pigeon-holing players into a strictly defined area of the pitch.
The 25-year-old also alluded to the possibility of being needed in different positions throughout the campaign, depending on whether some of his teammates are laid low with injury, so we’ll almost certainly see the Dutchman alternate between playing on the left and through the middle, or possibly a bit deeper on occasion.
For the time being, we’d agree with Slot’s perception of Gakpo as a left winger first and foremost, with the ex-PSV Eindhoven man and Luis Diaz set to complete for that place in the starting XI.
Regardless of where exactly he lines up on the pitch, let’s hope that our number 18 brings his Euro 2024 form into the new season for Liverpool and can surpass his tally of 16 goals in all competition from last term.
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