Jurgen Klopp has labelled Cody Gakpo as the ideal player to lead Liverpool’s attacking line after a string of impressive performances as the spearhead in the front.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the Anfield manager lauded the Dutch international as the ‘perfect player’ to start in the striker position for Liverpool, with the 23-year-old making the position his own in recent weeks after starring against the likes of Leeds United and West Ham.
Despite being a natural left-winger, Gakpo has started the majority of his matches for Liverpool as a centre-forward, with the former PSV star now finding his feet in the position after bagging two goals in last four appearances, with two assists to boot.
Indeed, with Liverpool boasting one of the best selection of attackers in the Premier League, making a position your own is quite a feat for any player, yet Gakpo has done just that despite competition from Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Darwin Nunez.
And Klopp seems to think that the Dutch forward is the ideal long-term option to take up Liverpool’s central attacking role, with the German boss saying: “Cody Gakpo is a perfect player for the central space. Everybody buys into it. It’s a like a breath of fresh air.”
Klopp’s comments are a good indicator on Gakpo’s positional future
The depth of Liverpool’s attacking options cannot be scoffed at, with Gakpo just one player in Klopp’s ranks who can not only succeed in the up-front, but also flourish in numerous positions, yet the gaffers’ latest comments firmly hint that the Dutchman will lead the line next season.
Despite spending a near-club-record fee last summer for Nunez, it’s Gakpo who has seemingly won Klopp’s trust as the long-term replacement for Firmino, and based on the forward’s form since joining the club in January, it’s hard to challenge the Liverpool manager’s judgement on who should play centrally in attack.