23-year-old player suggests Liverpool now really feels like his club already

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Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has claimed that he feels at home at Anfield despite joining just four months ago.

After a difficult start to life in the Premier League, Gakpo has started to find his feet of late. Another goal last night against West Ham takes his tally to six in 20 games since joining from PSV Eindhoven in January.

And speaking to The Athletic after yesterday’s 2-1 victory, the Dutchman admitted that he’s now getting to grips with his role in the team.

“I’m enjoying it. It was a new position for me but it’s been good for me to develop as a player and I like it,” he said. “Dropping a little is something I can do to become an extra man in midfield at times. I just have to find my spaces to help the midfielders and the attackers as much as I can.

“The guys made me feel like I belonged here from the first minute I came in. I’m very grateful for how they treated me in the beginning.  As time has gone on, I’ve become more comfortable and confident. I feel like this is home.”

Gakpo settles into life at Liverpool

Considering the place Liverpool were in when Gakpo joined, this is really nice to hear. The Reds were at an incredibly low ebb during the first weeks of the Netherlands international’s arrival and he must have wondered what he’d walked into.

Heavy losses away to Brighton and Wolves were the nadir of the season. Gakpo started both, as well as the disappointing FA Cup defeat to the Seagulls.

The spot-light fell on his own personal performance, as well as that of the team. In that situation, the young forward could have crumbled and hidden. But Gakpo has shown exactly the reason he was awarded PSV’s captaincy at such a young age.

You can see the confidence and single-mindedness in his play. He isn’t fazed by anything. Liverpool’s No.18 is also clearly a very intelligent boy, speaking carefully and thoughtfully in interviews. Looking back, there was nothing to worry about at all.

A word of praise must also be reserved for the rest of the Liverpool squad. They are a notoriously tight bunch, but they couldn’t have been happy with where they were at around the turn of the year. Divisions can form within teams during such times.

Not at Liverpool, though. They’ve been through a lot together this group but they’ve never closed ranks. They’re always completely willing and ready to accept new faces into the squad. That has no doubt eased Gakpo’s transition, and we’re now seeing the fruits of that labour. Welcome home, Cody!