There has been a flurry of rumors recently suggesting that Liverpool FC is in the market for a winger. Leeds United’s Raphinha, West Ham’s Jared Bowen, FC Porto’s Luis Diaz, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby are the names that have been circling the last month or so, but now there’s another name to add to the list.
PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo has caught Liverpool’s eye, and the club has already held transfer talks with the Dutch international. Bayern Munich and Manchester City are also interested in Gakpo, so it’s clear PSV has a real talent on their hands.
The 22-year-old winger is expected to sign a new long-term contract with PSV, which would run until 2026, but that doesn’t guarantee he will stay with his boyhood club.
Gakpo has enjoyed a fantastic 2021/22 season so far, scoring ten goals and assisting 11 times in 28 appearances in all competitions.
The Dutch international made one appearance with the Netherlands in Euro 2020, playing 11 minutes as a substitute against North Macedonia.
The winger plays primarily on the left side but can play down the right wing and centrally as a centre-forward. A player with great adaptability would do wonders for Liverpool and could provide a reliable backup option for either Mane or Salah. Gakpo would slot in with the likes of Takumi Minamino and Harvey Elliott as backup wingers.
Gakpo recently spoke about the transfer talks.
"“The clubs that want something are also known to me, I’ve had conversations about that with my agent.“Very interesting clubs have been added, but we have to look at what the first step is. At the moment my focus is not there and I had better things to do on Sunday.”Source: The Daily Mail"
He seems intent on staying with PSV through this Eredivisie season, but a move away to Liverpool or another European giant could easily happen this summer.
A promising young winger is never a bad thing, and with Salah’s contract still undecided, bringing Gakpo in during the summer would ease some concern over Liverpool’s future attack.
Gakpo and PSV currently sit second, two points off rivals Ajax in the Eredivisie. After crashing out of the Europa League, you can watch Gakpo in the Europa Conference League Playoffs against Maccabi Tel-Aviv this February.