Liverpool didn't manage to sign a direct replacement for Mohamed Salah during the summer transfer window, but one former Red believes Andoni Iraola already has the answer in his squad
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 24: Mo Salah of Liverpool looks on during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Brentford at Anfield on May 24, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Mohamed Salah left Liverpool earlier this summer(Image: Getty Images)
Danny Murphy is convinced Cody Gakpo will work on the right wing for Liverpool, with the Dutchman backed to provide the Reds with their replacement for Mohamed Salah.
Gakpo had looked as though he could be on his way out of Anfield before the transfer deadline, with Manchester City having lined up a move for him as Bradley Barcola finally completed his move to Merseyside.
Liverpool reportedly rejected a $115 million offer, with Gakpo staying put despite also courting interest from Tottenham. Barcola’s big-money arrival from Paris Saint-Germain does leave questions about his place in Andoni Iraola’s team this season though.
Barcola has been backed by a number of pundits to start on the left-hand side of the Reds’ attack, displacing Gakpo from his usual position in the process.
The 27-year-old though did start on the right for Liverpool in its latest game against Nottingham Forest, and bagged an assist for Alexander Isak’s equalizer during the second half with a well-placed cross to the back post.
Although Liverpool didn’t sign a direct replacement to Salah, who left the club earlier this summer after nine years, former Reds midfielder Murphy believes Gakpo is now the answer on the right.
Discussing Gakpo’s proposed move to City, Murphy told talkSPORT: “Well, a lot of fans would not have minded it.
Cody Gakpo of Liverpool looks on during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Newcastle United and Liverpool FC
Cody Gakpo has been backed to provide Liverpool with an answer on the right wing(Image: (Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images))
“He got hammered last year, and I thought a little bit harshly so because there was obviously the breakthrough of Ngumoha, and everybody wanted to see him. And Gakpo was having a bit of a poor season. One thing with Gakpo, you always get, he is a goal threat.
“It’s all right having wide players who look good and beat people, but how many goals are you going to score? Gakpo scores goals, even when he is playing badly.
“And he can play off the right, he can play center-forward, and he is a super athlete.
“Now, Barcola is an upgrade for sure, he is an upgrade, so he is going to start and play on the left, but will we see Gakpo scoring goals off the right? I think so. He made a great goal from the right-hand side at the weekend.
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“As I say, he can play down the middle because Isak might not play all the games, [Hugo] Ekitike is injured.
“So, yeah, it does make sense, and also, he is somebody who even when he is playing badly, very rarely, [you] don’t get a shift out of him defensively, and he is one that can press.”
Liverpool.com says: It will be interesting to see what Iraola does now that Barcola has been signed. Clearly, he will start more often than not, and most likely on the left.
The right may see more changes as the season progresses, but for the time being, Gakpo should be the man in possession of that starting berth - and Liverpool made the right call in keeping him.