Cody Gakpo, a January arrival as Liverpool, is looking to assert himself as the club’s no 9 despite Jurgen Klopp also having Darwin Nunez available to him at Anfield
Cody Gakpo now considers himself to be a centre-forward – and that could be bad news for Liverpool ’s £85 million Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez.
Gakpo, 24, insists he has been transformed in the five months he has worked with Jurgen Klopp after arriving at Anfield in a £35 million deal from PSV Eindhoven.
Klopp has employed the Dutchman through the middle after spending most of his career operating out wide – and Nunez has been shifted out to the flank after struggling for goals.
Gakpo said: “Jurgen Klopp and his assistant Pepijn Lijnders indicated what they wanted from me when I first went to Liverpool.
“It took some getting used to in the beginning, but eventually I grew into the role and I would like to play in that position permanently.
“I feel like I am getting better and better in that spot.
“At PSV, I played mainly from the left side. It was Guus Hiddink who first pointed out to me that I had to develop more broadly as a striker.
“I didn’t want to believe that at the time. I felt comfortable on the left flank, but I am now convinced that the role of striker suits me.”
Gakpo was snapped up by the Reds from under the noses of Manchester United after an impressive World Cup.
He has scored seven goals in 17 Premier League starts after being moved inside.
But the Dutch international knows his place in Liverpool’s attack.
He added: “At Liverpool, there is someone running the attack called Mo Salah.
“I can’t speak highly enough about Mo. All the things he has produced on the pitch as a forward and the way he has been performing at top level for so many years is so impressive.
“That is why I see this man as the real leader of our forward line.”