Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has opened up on the differences between his roles for club and country following a brace for the Netherlands against Sweden.
“A good question. Obviously it’s a little bit different,” Gakpo said when asked to compare his deployment at Liverpool with how he operates internationally.
“It’s different where the coach wants me to be, the freedom that I have,” he added, before choosing to say nothing further on the matter.
The 27-year-old’s comments came in a week that saw Liverpool sign left winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m, adding further competition for his preferred position.
Liverpool have also expressed interest in paying a package of £86m to RB Leipzig for highly rated 19-year-old forward Yan Diomande, who can play on both wings.
Those potential arrivals raise serious questions about where Gakpo fits into new head coach Andoni Iraola’s plans at Anfield next season.
In Liverpool’s title-winning campaign under Arne Slot in 2024-25, Gakpo scored 18 goals and provided seven assists across 49 games in all competitions.
That impressive return convinced the club to hand him a long-term contract last summer, which by all accounts he was extremely happy to sign.
Last season, however, his numbers dropped to nine goals and six assists despite playing three more matches across all competitions.
Gakpo prefers to play down the left, and 2025-26 exposed the fact that his understanding with full-back Milos Kerkez still requires considerable development.
Their partnership did improve as the campaign wore on, and with Kerkez now reunited with Iraola from their time together at Bournemouth, further progress is expected.
With 50 goals in 180 appearances, Gakpo is only the second Dutchman after Dirk Kuyt to reach a half-century of goals for Liverpool, a remarkable achievement.
Liverpool still regard him as a proven Premier League attacker, and his ability to play centrally offers Iraola additional flexibility given Hugo Ekitike could be sidelined until 2027 with a ruptured Achilles.
Following Mohamed Salah’s departure, at least one more attacking signing is expected this summer, and teenager Rio Ngumoha is also set to take on a more prominent role at the club.
How Iraola views Florian Wirtz’s best position could prove decisive in determining Gakpo’s long-term place within the squad’s attacking structure.
For the first time since joining Liverpool in December 2022, a move away from Anfield is a genuine possibility, with Tottenham Hotspur among the clubs monitoring his situation.
Any transfer would likely cost upwards of £60m, representing a significant profit on the £35m Liverpool paid PSV Eindhoven following the 2022 World Cup.
His brace against Sweden provided a timely reminder of his quality, with a simple tap-in followed by a trademark left-to-right cut inside and a clinical finish.
His overall World Cup record, spanning both the 2022 and current tournaments, stands at five goals in seven games, with 23 goals across 52 international caps in total.
Netherlands and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was emphatic in his assessment after the 5-1 win over Sweden, leaving no doubt about how he rates his club colleague.
“He is an outstanding footballer,” van Dijk said. “He works so hard for the team, he’s disciplined and his quality stands out – his crosses, his assists, his goals.”
Gakpo also plays a significant role off the pitch within the Dutch squad, with Crysencio Summerville describing him warmly in the dressing room.
“Cody is our pastor – he leads the prayers,” Summerville said, highlighting the respect Gakpo commands among his international teammates beyond just his footballing ability.
Continuing to perform well at the World Cup may yet strengthen Liverpool’s desire to keep him for at least another season under Iraola’s management.
The relative struggles of Isak and Wirtz during their debut seasons at Anfield serve as a useful reminder of just how difficult it can be for new signings to adapt.
But with Liverpool’s attack in clear need of reshaping following a laboured campaign, Gakpo’s future remains one of the most compelling storylines of the summer window.
