I’m here to win the lot, vows £44m ace Gakpo
Kop new boy takes Owen’s No 18 shirt
CODY GAKPO has revealed the role Virgil van Dijk played in convincing him to join Liverpool as he completed a £37million move from PSV Eindhoven last night.
Gakpo completed his medical last night and will be officially announced as a Liverpool player once he receives his work permit. But he was quick to praise the role of his fellow Netherlands international, Liverpool defender Van Dijk, who was at the club’s AXA training centre to greet him.
‘We spoke a lot on the phone over the last days,’ said Gakpo, who will take the No 18 shirt that was once worn by Michael Owen and his compatriot Dirk
Kuyt. ‘What he told me was that this is the right move for me to make and for me to develop and become a better player, that the club is a really big club but also like a real family. I think that’s very important for me because I’m a family guy. He said only good things.
‘He came into the office of the coach and then he saw me and we chatted a little bit,’ Gakpo told Liverpoolfc.com. ‘I’m also happy that he’s here, so he can help me with some stuff. I’m really grateful to be here.
‘I’m really looking forward to playing at Anfield. I heard a lot of great stories about the stadium, about the atmosphere.
‘I cannot wait. My aim is to win as many prizes as we can as a team, to perform well, to show the world what we can do as a team and what I can do as a player. And personally, just to keep developing and become a better player every season.’
Liverpool moved for Gakpo once they became aware rivals such as Manchester United did not have the budget to compete in this window.
Sporting director Julian Ward spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in negotiations with PSV counterpart Marcel Brands to complete a deal that will rise to £45m with add-ons.
Manager Jurgen Klopp hugged Gakpo on his arrival and said: ‘It really is great news for us that we have been able to do it and I have to say it has been a fantastic job by everyone involved, especially Julian. The work that has gone into this has been really impressive and we have managed to sign a player who we have known about for quite some time and who we believe will have a really bright future with us.
‘There is a lot to like about Cody. He is still only 23 but he already has a lot of experience.
‘He was the captain of PSV, he was the Player of the Year in Holland last season and, as a lot of people have just seen, also had a great World Cup.
‘So, it is clear he is already a really, really good player but his age also means he has the potential to become even better.
‘Offensively, he is very versatile and on top of this we know he is a smart footballer and also a smart person, so we are really excited to be able to work with him.’
Gakpo, who has signed a fiveand-a-half year contract, could be in contention to make his debut at Brentford on Monday and Liverpool are still in the market to strengthen further.
Though Borussia Dortmund’s England international Jude Bellingham remains their main target for the summer, they are looking to add another midfielder this month on loan if the right player becomes available.
Klopp is considering his options as Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner are all out of contract in the summer and have not been approached about new deals.