Remember all those fans screaming to get rid of Cody Gakpo last season? Well, turns out Liverpool didn’t sanction that £85 million move, and after Friday night’s Ipswich game, everyone’s probably thanking their lucky stars for it.
Bradley Barcola’s Arrival Was Just The Beginning
Everyone was hyped for Bradley Barcola, the *actual* £100 million signing this window. Dude cost them what they dropped on Alexander Isak, and he’s only played a few minutes, but he already looks like a perfect fit. After Yan Diomande’s deal fell through, Barcola was the main target. Even though it took until almost deadline day to confirm the move, he’s likely to be worth every minute of that wait. He can play anywhere across the front three if needed, and since he’s only 24, there’s plenty of time for him to grow into something special.
Cody Gakpo: Reborn Under Iraola’s Watch
But here’s the wild part: as good as Barcola is, he’s *not* the next £100 million attacker they’ve got among their ranks. Nope, that’s Cody Gakpo. Last season was rough, arguably the worst of his Liverpool career. The Dutchman only bagged nine goals across all competitions and managed a mere six assists for his teammates. Slot even played him in his preferred left-wing and striker positions, but he just didn’t meet expectations. So yeah, when Manchester City and Tottenham came calling with £85 million bids at the end of the window, everyone wanted Liverpool to take it. Fast forward to Friday against Ipswich, and Gakpo was a different player. He managed to create two goals for Isak and was easily Iraola’s best guy on the pitch at Portman Road. He was used in his preferred left-wing spot, and for one reason or another, the 27-year-old just seems to thrive under Andoni Iraola’s watch. That’s why he has now become the Reds’ next £100 million winger.
The Attacker Overload: A Good Problem To Have?
Now the real challenge for Iraola is fitting all these guys in. Isak, Florian Wirtz, Barcola, and Gakpo are all fit and ready to roll. Obviously, with Hugo Ekitike out of action, Isak is going to be the Reds’ main number nine. But since Gakpo and Barcola both prefer that left-wing spot, one of them is going to have to make the sacrifice of playing on the right. For Wirtz, things are okay for now, as Dominik Szoboszlai is needed in other areas of the pitch, keeping his role as the Reds’ main number 10 safe. If Iraola can manage to keep all four of them fit throughout the season, they could easily be onto a Premier League-winning campaign. It’s still very early, so nothing’s guaranteed, but individually, Liverpool easily have some of the world’s best players. Gakpo becoming the Reds’ next £100 million winger may have come as a shock, but it’s now clear how important he actually is to how Liverpool play. Here’s hoping he can keep it up!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply