Cody Gakpo: Where did it all go wrong at Liverpool as Bayern Munich escape route eyed - opinion
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Rousing The Kop take a look back at Gakpo’s up and down Liverpool career to figure out where the wheels came off.Gakpo has a promising beginning Gakpo joined in an unfortunate moment for Liverpool, and he understandably took a little while to find his feet. With a first full summer ahead, things were looking positive.Klopp oversees season of progressHeading into the 23/24 season, there was a feeling that Klopp was not fully settled on where Gakpo should be playing.The former PSV man even started the opening game of the Premier League season in a midfield three away at Chelsea, signalling the former Liverpool manager‘s intent to use him as something of a utility man.This ultimately ended up hampering Gakpo to a degree, but though he only made 17 Premier League starts, 23/24 was still a season of progress as he hit 16 goals and six assists for the Reds.
His form in the Carabao Cup was especially impressive as he scored four times on the way to Liverpool winning the trophy.Appearing in 53 matches in a variety of positions, he was seen as a useful squad player, one who could still potentially step up to being a regular starter. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Justin Setterfield/Liverpool FC Luis Diaz challenge brings out the best in GakpoAfter Klopp’s exit, there was a feeling that Gakpo was one of the players most benefitting from the arrival of Arne Slot.
18 would now be playing exclusively from the left side of the attack.Initially, this appeared to do Gakpo the world of good, and his rotation with Luis Diaz was arguably one of the biggest reasons for Liverpool’s Premier League title success in 2024/25.Again, he was not a regular starter, beginning 23 of the Reds’ 38 matches, but his tally of 10 Premier League goals – and a further eight across cup competitions – marked Gakpo out as a really useful performer.Although his tendency to cut in onto his stronger right foot was starting to rub some fans up the wrong way, he still had enough end product to keep them largely onside.Starting role highlights Gakpo’s deficiencies If the competition with Diaz brought out the best in Gakpo, then it seems that the lack of any challenger in 2025/26 has severely hampered his progress.After Diaz’s sale he signed a new contract, signalling that Slot now saw his countryman as the starting option on the left of the attack.Whether that was the case or not has never fully been realised thanks to the failure of getting Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike on the pitch at the same time.As a result of a serious injury to Isak – and Gakpo’s main competition being an out of sorts Federico Chiesa and a 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha – the former PSV captain has had to become a very regular starter.Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe season began in decent fashion for Gakpo, but having scored only five goals in 21 starts this term, he has failed to mix up his play, frustrating supporters by continuing to flog his old cut in and shoot tactic. At this stage, that would feel to be for the best.Gakpo is a good player and if he leaves this summer he will have had a very fine Liverpool career.