Liverpool signed a player with ‘loads of potential’ when they picked up Cody Gakpo, says Steve Nicol. He saved their January.
Liverpool didn’t have the January that fans hoped for – that’s safe to say. The Reds moved through the entire transfer window without signing a midfielder, despite it being clear since the summer that one was needed.
In fact, Liverpool admitted that themselves by signing Arthur Melo on the final day of the summer window. Only, the Brazilian has played 13 minutes after requiring surgery.
But the club opted not to address the situation with a signing last month. Few fans could call the winter a success, then.
Despite that, they did manage to make one signing and it was an exciting one. Cody Gakpo arrived from PSV Eindhoven as a very talented forward. No, he’s not the midfielder people called for but he is a fantastic addition.
Liverpool great Steve Nicol discussed the transfer window as a whole, grading the Reds with a ‘C’ for their efforts. It would have been far worse if not for Gakpo.
“Gakpo’s a good signing,” he told ESPN. “He’s a young player and there’s no question that there’s loads of potential there.
“It’s not like [Jurgen Klopp] has signed another Arthur, shall we say. Now that was a complete shambles – so it’s not one of them.
“This guy can play, this guy will absolutely help Liverpool in the future.”
Cody Gakpo at Liverpool
Gakpo hasn’t quite shown his best level in Red yet – but he’s facing a difficult task. Not only is he only 23 and at a new club, in a new country, with a new style of play but he’s come into a struggling side.
That makes things difficult for anyone. Even Mohamed Salah is failing to show his best. Then to top it off, Gakpo is currently playing as a striker – a position he doesn’t like to play.
So we’re certainly not judging him yet. Anyone who saw Gakpo for PSV or the Netherlands knows he’s a fantastic talent and one who can have a big future at Liverpool.
Now, if only he could play in midfield.