“The better option…” – Former Liverpool defender names the player Klopp should have signed instead of Gakpo

Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique believes Jurgen Klopp should have signed Leandro Trossard instead of Cody Gakpo this winter.

Gakpo joined the Reds in January from PSV for a fee in the region of £37million after he scored three goals at the World Cup in Qatar.

He was added to help provide extra firepower in attack during the absence of the inured Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino.

However, the 23-year-old has struggled to translate his prolific form to the Premier League, failing to score in his first six outings.

But the Dutchman turned up when it mattered most, notching his first goal in the Merseyside derby on Monday to ensure a 2-0 victory over local rivals Everton.

“I have my doubts”

Enrique acknowledged Gakpo’s improved performance against the Toffees. However, the Spaniard maintains that Klopp should have looked elsewhere, suggesting Trossard would have been a better use of funds.

“Cody Gakpo played a lot better against Everton as a false 9, but the problem is who is going to play there because Diogo Jota and Luiz Diaz will be back,” Enrique told Genting Casino.

“They will have about three options in those attacking positions – which is a good problem for the manager. As for him becoming a World Class player, I have my doubts.

“I think Cody Gakpo is a good player but they spent a lot of money on him. I guess he was the right player at the right time but time will tell.

“For me personally, Leandro Trossard was the better option for me despite the fact he is an older player. Arsenal were lucky to get an experienced player in Jorginho, too.”

Trossard joined Arsenal from Brighton in a deal worth £27million last month after they were beaten to the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk by Chelsea.

Some fans considered the 28-year-old to be past his best. However, Enrique has dismissed the claims, suggesting he has plenty more in the tank.

“I am tired with the obsession of age,” Enrique continued. “Premier League clubs are only thinking about age at the moment. If you are a top team – you should be able to sign a decent 28-year-old player who can play at a decent level for about 3-4 years and when the time comes, re-invest.

“For me, Gakpo was a good signing because he is young, had good numbers and has experience internationally. Hopefully I am wrong about Trossard being the better signing, but I see Gakpo more as a false nine rather than a winger.”

‘Not the best relationships’ – Gakpo makes bold Liverpool admission after disappointing start

 

Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo has made a bold admission about his relationships with his teammates after a disappointing start to life at Anfield.

The 23-year-old Dutchman joined the Reds from PSV Eindhoven in January for an initial £35m as Jurgen Klopp’s side beat several top sides to his signature.

There was huge excitement around Anfield at his arrival after an impressive World Cup campaign where he scored three goals in five games.

Despite this, it hasn’t quite gone to plan with the promising talent yet to score or assist in six appearances for the Merseyside giants.

What has Gakpo said?

In a recent interview with the Mail, as reported by Eurosport, Gakpo gave an explanation as to why it hasn’t worked out for him yet.

He said: “I think everybody knows we are a little bit struggling in every area so it is more difficult for a new player to come in, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to improve. I can do a lot more.

“For me, I see every difficulty as a possibility. I realise you don’t have all the time in the world so it’s up to me to perform and figure it out as quickly as possible, even though I might not have the best relationships yet.”

Liverpool are continuing to struggle in the Premier League and sit 12 points being Newcastle United who occupy the final Champions League place.

For now at least, Gakpo hasn’t been able to make the difference, but it was always going to be difficult given he was coming into a team that has struggled all season.

The Reds paid a relatively small fee for a highly rated player and although he’s yet to reproduce performance similar to what we saw in the World Cup, Klopp’s the perfect manager to get the best out of him.