Cody Gakpo says there are some ‘great people’ at Liverpool who really helped him during last season

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Liverpool supporters will be watching on with interest as Euro 2024 reaches the quarter-finals.

It has so far been a slightly mixed tournament for Liverpool players, with several having already exited and a few more resigned to the bench.

In amongst the disappointment though, Cody Gakpo has really been shining. The Dutchman bagged his third goal of the competition against Romania on Tuesday and is now joint-top scorer at the championships.

Although often used as a centre-forward or a false nine by Liverpool, Gakpo has been excelling on the left wing for the Netherlands.

And speaking after he helped his country make the last eight on Tuesday, the 25-year-old credited some back at Anfield for his excellent displays.

Cody Gakpo reveals Liverpool helpers

Liverpool fans must have felt like they’ve been watching a different player so far this summer. Daniel Sturridge said as much when he implored the Reds to get more out of Gakpo after seeing him score again.

Although he had a decent first full season with the Reds, scoring 16 goals in 53 games, it feels like there is a lot more to come from Gakpo.

At times last season the former PSV Eindhoven attacker was incredibly frustrating. Unable to nail down a place in the starting XI, Gakpo played the role of utility man.

It was perhaps inevitable that this led to some ineffective performances. Stripped of the chance to play in his best position, the No.18 did his best with what he was given.

READ MORE: Kostas Tsimikas and Conor Bradley react to Cody Gakpo goal vs Romania

That changed a little towards the end of the campaign, though. Gakpo scored two goals in his final three games for Liverpool and started each of the Reds’ last six games.

Asked about how he picked himself up through some difficulties at Anfield in his post-match press conference, Gakpo admitted that he’d had plenty of help from within the club.

“To be honest I have a great team at Liverpool,” he answered. “Great people that are always there for me and everybody when you have those moments and they kept believing in me and kept helping me with everything.

“The last, I don’t how many games of the season at the club I also played good games,” Gakpo added. “So, I just took that with me and kept working very hard and I’m very happy that I can be of value to the team.”

Cody Gakpo set for key role under Arne Slot

Now 25, Gakpo is not a young player anymore. Next season should be the time we see him really step up at Liverpool.

For him to do that though, it’s imperative that Arne Slot finds the right role for his countryman.

Throughout his 18 months working with Gakpo, Jurgen Klopp was never really able to do that. It could be a real difference maker for the Reds.

Of course, there is the small matter of Luis Diaz standing in his way. However, Diaz has also shown promise playing from the right as a natural winger. There are plenty of options for Slot to try.

As Gakpo has shown over the past couple of weeks, he has the talent to be a key man and carry a team on his back.

If it doesn’t happen under Slot next season it doesn’t mean that it never will. But it does feel like a big campaign coming up for Cody.