Gakpo joined Liverpool from PSV in the January transfer window.
Before his switch to Anfield, Gakpo was primarily used as a left-winger, which is his natural position. He scored nine and assisted 12 in 14 Eredivisie games in the first half of 2022/23 before his move.
Since joining Liverpool, though, Gakpo has been used in more of a central role, seemingly as the successor to Roberto Firmino, who will leave Liverpool at the end of this season.
The 24-year-old took some time to adjust to playing as a centre-forward every week, but he has scored six and assisted three in 19 Premier League matches, with Liverpool currently on their best run of form all season.
Gakpo’s latest outing for the Reds came in a 3-0 drubbing of Leicester on Monday night.
Following that match, Jurgen Klopp has been full of praise for Gakpo and how he has adapted to his new role:
“And then you meet the boy and you think: ‘Ah OK, now I understand why.’ He eats football, each information we give him is so natural for him to put it on the pitch.
“He is in a position he has never played before but he enjoys it a lot. We need him there and he is very cool that he can play three or four positions but he has adapted pretty quickly.”
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