There has been plenty of speculation surrounding Cody Gakpo’s future this summer, with Tottenham reportedly interested in taking the Liverpool forward to north London.
There have also been questions about Gakpo himself after a disappointing season by his standards.
But if Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle taught us anything, it’s this:
Cody Gakpo is still a very important player for Liverpool.
And his performance at St James’ Park was a timely reminder of exactly why.
Gakpo stepped up when Liverpool needed him
Liverpool had struggled to turn their possession into genuine danger during the opening half.
Newcastle had taken an early lead through Anthony Elanga and were looking increasingly dangerous on the counter-attack.
Liverpool needed someone to produce a moment of quality.
That player was Gakpo.
Just after half-time, the Dutchman produced an excellent finish from distance to bring Liverpool level. His strike was one of the best moments of attacking quality Liverpool produced all afternoon.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, Newcastle responded almost immediately through Joe Willock.
But Gakpo had already made his mark.
This is what Liverpool have been missing
There is a tendency to judge players purely on their goals and assists.
But Gakpo offers Liverpool something else.
Versatility.
He can play from the left.
He can operate centrally.
He can drop deeper.
He can link play.
And he has the technical quality to create something himself when Liverpool aren’t playing particularly well.
Against Newcastle, Liverpool weren’t at their fluent best.
Yet Gakpo was arguably their most dangerous attacking player.
That shouldn’t be overlooked.
Last season wasn’t enough to write him off
Gakpo’s previous campaign wasn’t what he or Liverpool supporters would have wanted.
But one poor season doesn’t suddenly erase everything we’ve seen from him since arriving at Anfield.
Players go through difficult periods.
Confidence drops.
Form disappears.
Systems change.
Managers change.
And sometimes a player simply needs the right environment to rediscover his best football.
That’s particularly relevant now that Andoni Iraola is in charge.
Iraola has already spoken about using Gakpo as a No.9 in certain situations, showing that he sees more possibilities in the Dutchman’s game than simply playing him on the left.
Liverpool shouldn’t be in a rush to sell
This is where the transfer speculation becomes interesting.
If Tottenham genuinely want Gakpo, Liverpool could potentially receive a significant offer.
But should they accept it?
After Newcastle, I’m not convinced.
Liverpool have already lost an enormous amount of experience and goals from their attack.
They don’t need to create another problem for themselves by selling a player who has just demonstrated that he can still make a difference.
Especially when the club are trying to build an attack around Alexander Isak.
Isak needs players like Gakpo
This is another reason I’d keep Gakpo.
Isak needs service.
He needs players around him who can create opportunities, carry the ball and occupy defenders.
Gakpo can do that.
And if Iraola can get Gakpo playing with confidence while also adding another explosive winger to the squad, Liverpool could suddenly have a very dangerous attack.
Imagine Gakpo, Isak and a new pacey winger rotating positions.
That’s something worth building around.
Iraola could get more out of him
Perhaps this is the most important point.
We haven’t seen the best version of Gakpo under Iraola yet.
The new manager has a different tactical approach and has already suggested he can see Gakpo operating in different roles.
So why sell him before finding out what he can actually become in this system?
Give Iraola a full season with him.
Give Gakpo confidence.
Give him competition.
And see what happens.
Gakpo reminded everyone
The Newcastle game wasn’t perfect for Liverpool.
There were plenty of concerns.
The Reds were vulnerable on the counter.
They struggled to create despite dominating possession.
And several key players failed to produce their best football.
But Gakpo stood up.
He scored.
He looked dangerous.
He gave Liverpool an attacking spark.
And he reminded everyone why Liverpool signed him in the first place.
Don’t make Gakpo another problem
Liverpool already have enough decisions to make before the transfer window closes.
They need more squad depth.
They need more pace in the wide areas.
They need more creativity.
And they need to make sure Alexander Isak gets the service he needs.
Selling Gakpo would potentially solve one problem financially while creating another problem on the pitch.
After his performance at St James’ Park, I’d be keeping him.
Cody Gakpo isn’t finished at Liverpool.
In fact, under Iraola, he could still have his best years in a red shirt ahead of him.
And perhaps his performance against Newcastle was the first sign that the Dutchman is ready to remind everyone exactly what he can do.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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