Reported Liverpool target Jarrad Branthwaite has admitted that he’s spoken to Cody Gakpo about life on Merseyside.
Branthwaite and Gakpo were teammates for half a season at PSV Eindhoven, with the latter joining Liverpool in January. If reports are to be believed, Everton-owned Branthwaite could be joining him next season.
And sitting down with The Mirror to discuss his time over in the Netherlands, the young defender says Gakpo has turned to him for advice.
“I spoke to Cody a few times when he first signed [for Liverpool]. When I signed for Everton I was in the Titanic Hotel and I think he was staying there as well, so he was asking for a few places to go eat and things,” Branthwaite explained.
It seems Cody quickly got to grips with the city – he’s now starting to thrive at Anfield. And having seen his former captain steadily grow into his new club, Branthwaite says he isn’t surprised.
“He’s settled into a massive club but it’s no surprise for me,” said the former Carlisle man. “When he was here, the quality he had was unbelievable; his goals and assists, his passing, his dribbling – he had everything. Obviously it’s gonna take a couple of months to find your feet but over the last month he’s settled right in and played really well.”
Branthwaite looking to cross the divide
Branthwaite is reportedly one of the players Liverpool are tracking to bolster their defence next season. Should Everton go down, it seems he could readily be on the market.
With Joel Matip supposedly up for sale, the Reds will need an extra body in defence. The PSV loanee could be that man.
That would be controversial, of course. There aren’t many players who swap Everton for Liverpool or vice-versa.
But as Branthwaite alludes to, he isn’t from the city. He’s from Carlisle. He hasn’t been treated especially brilliantly by the Toffees so it perhaps isn’t out of the question that he’d be up for a move across Stanley Park.
With his old mate Gakpo reporting back on life on the red side of the city, maybe Branthwaite will be tempted to join him. It’s certainly worth keeping a watch over his form just in case.