**When Liverpool signed Cody Gakpo, his potential seemed unchecked but he has failed to meet the potential many believed he had but there is still time to reach his ceiling in the Premier League.**
Now 27, Gakpo was 24 when he joined Liverpool and was one of the most exciting prospects in the Eredivisie and had his pick of Man Utd, Liverpool and Tottenham before ultimately choosing Anfield as his next destination.
Liverpool paid £35m to sign Gakpo, so you could argue that he’s been a success given his 50 goals and 23 assists have yielded a Premier League title and a Carabao Cup in four seasons.
No, he’s not a world-class player, but if he can become more unpredictable and increase his output, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility for him to reach a truly elite level.
The underlying data would argue against this, but he has all the tools to accomplish this even if this argument requires rose-tinted glasses.
Confession time: I’ve been one of Gakpo’s biggest critics/haters
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I will begin this argument by stating that I have been one of Gakpo’s biggest critics over the last season. This has certainly been born out of frustration at seeing the Dutchman try the same thing over and over seemingly expecting a different outcome.
_“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”_ This quote has regularly been misattributed to Albert Einstein, but the wisdom in this proverb is largely undeniable.
Gakpo simply has to work on becoming more unpredictable and save the repetition for things that are technique-based, like passing and shooting, which require the same fine motor control to find consistent success.
The former PSV Eindhoven star is a wonderful finisher, but his approach play needs more variety to bamboozle Premier League defenders, who have cottoned onto his preferred style of play.
**Gakpo’s numbers under Klopp and Slot\*:**
**2022/23**: 20 goals and 20 assists (40 G/A)
**2023/24**: 16 goals and 7 assists (24 G/A)
**2024/25**: 18 goals and 7 assists (25 G/A)
**2025/26**: 9 goals and 6 assists (15 G/A)
2026/27: ?
_\*For comparison’s sake, I’ve used Klopp’s final two seasons and Slot’s only two campaigns in charge_
Gakpo has a real chance to prove himself under Iraola while Hugo Ekitike is injured
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With Hugo Ekitike not expected to be back fit until December and only likely to return to top form a couple of months after that, Gakpo has a genuine chance to become an important member of Iraola’s early setup.
His [£250,000/week contract](https://www.capology.com/player/cody-gakpo-36287/) only expires in 2030, so it’s not as though his value will tank – especially if he does well.
Given Slot’s second season is an outlier in terms of goal contributions, there is a decent argument to be made that he could become a crucial player even if it is beyond his ability to touch world-class levels.