Liverpool star’s talk with Arne Slot lifts lid on disagreement with Klopp

The question of Cody Gakpo’s best position became one of several topics of debate following his January 2023 move to Liverpool.

Primarily considered a left-winger (where he notably impressed for the Netherlands during the 2022 World Cup), the footballer found himself instead mainly utilised as a central striker under Jurgen Klopp.

Arne Slot disagrees with Jurgen Klopp

Things have significantly changed for our No.18 since Arne Slot took over the reins this summer.

A healthy disagreement with how Klopp was previously using Cody Gakpo seems to have paid wonders for the 25-year-old’s Liverpool career. Not to mention Luis Diaz’s, with the Colombian proving remarkably effective playing centrally in a front-three whilst sharing the pitch with the former PSV star.

The Dutch international weighed in on his new head coach’s decision in a recent interview with Men in Blazers (via liverpoolfc.com): “Before I came to Liverpool I also played as a left winger. Then I came here and I started to play more as a central striker,” 

“At the Euros, I played as a left winger again. Then this season the new manager came in, I had a talk with him and he said, ‘You have to focus on the left winger position… this is your position when you come on or when you start.’

“Because he said there’s a lot of competition here, so you just have to show yourself. But he said, ‘That is going to be your position.’”

The numbers speak for themselves in 2024/25, with the ex-Eredivisie man registering eight goal contributions across 17 appearances. In 832 minutes played this season, that puts the forward at a rate of one goal or assist every 104 minutes.

To put that into context – it’s a superior figure to Darwin Nunez (140.4) and Diogo Jota’s (108.83) goal contribution rates in the same campaign.

A notable improvement, too, so far, on Gakpo’s 137.13 goal contribution rate accumulated throughout the 2023/24 season.

* Based on minutes provided by Transfermarkt

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