Luis Diaz is gone. Bayern Munich pounced, and Liverpool cashed in. Now the left wing is wide open – and all eyes are on Cody Gakpo.
But is the Dutchman truly ready to be the guy?
Jurgen Klopp never quite figured him out. Gakpo was tossed around – striker one week, sub the next, then awkwardly shoehorned into midfield.
Despite his clear pedigree as a left-winger, only 22% of his appearances under Klopp came in that role. It showed. He lacked rhythm, looked unsure, and failed to explode.
But Arne Slot brought clarity. “You have to focus on the left-winger position – this is your position when you come on or when you start,” Gakpo recalled. “It felt a little bit, for me, like the old me. I feel really good in this position.”
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Cody Gakpo: Time to become essential
That comfort translated into numbers. Last season: 18 goals, 6 assists in 49 appearances, many of which came off the bench.
Gakpo started 16 out of 18 league games between October and February, becoming a core player during Liverpool’s title charge.
Still, he wasn’t undroppable. He started just two Champions League matches. He was benched in the League Cup final. He only completed 90 minutes eight times.
The numbers flatter and frustrate. At 6’3″, Gakpo is physically dominant. He can drift wide, cut in, and unleash venom. His crossing ability on the run is elite.
But according to FBRef, he ranks in the bottom 20% for progressive passes and below average for take-ons. For a winger, that’s not good enough.
Slot trusts him, no doubt. And with Milos Kerkez arriving to overlap and inject width, Gakpo has the support structure he needs. But he’ll need more than moments to justify being the undisputed left-wing starter.
Cody Gakpo isn’t just fighting for a position. He’s fighting to prove he’s more than a tactical asset. He’s fighting to become essential.
This is his season. And if he doesn’t grab it, Liverpool will look elsewhere.
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