Cody Gakpo admits he didn’t expect Liverpool to sack Arne Slot amid rumours he could leave too
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Cody Gakpo has admitted that he and his Liverpool teammates did not expect to see Arne Slot leave the club this summer.Slot was sacked last Saturday and swiftly replaced by Andoni Iraola, with supporters pleased to see what had begun to feel like a necessary change.The reaction from the Liverpool players so far has been muted, though, with Gakpo now speaking to ESPN Netherlands with a slightly sombre tone. Gakpo thinks it’s a ‘shame’ to see Slot sackedGakpo is, of course, preparing for the World Cup with the Netherlands, and when asked whether Slot’s sacking had affected his feelings ahead of the tournament, he dismissed any notion of that.“No, that is unrelated,” he replied.
I believe the club has released a statement with an explanation.“Ultimately, I don’t think any player saw this coming,” Gakpo added. So I think we need to put it behind us quickly, no matter how difficult it may be for someone.”Gakpo also confirmed that he had sent a private message to Slot ‘to thank him for the past two years.’ “Last season was of course the highlight,” he said.
“Great memories.”Photo by Carl Recine/Getty ImagesREAD MORE: Liverpool set their stance on selling Rio Ngumoha as Bayern Munich solidify approachGakpo may follow Slot out of Liverpool exit doorIn the eyes of many supporters, Slot had an unjustified bias towards playing Gakpo, despite the No. 18 being woefully short of form last season.While that may be hyperbole, news has filtered through that Gakpo could leave Liverpool now that his compatriot has gone.Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed as much on Friday, claiming that teams are interested in the 27-year-old, and Liverpool may consider a sale if a good offer arrives.Reds fans were perhaps overly harsh on both Slot and Gakpo last season, but, harshly or not, many will still be pleased if the former PSV forward joins his old boss in finding a new club.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox