Jurgen Klopp drops Cody Gakpo hint ahead of potential Liverpool debut
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that new signing Cody Gakpo looks ‘really promising and fit’ ahead of the January arrival’s potential debut for the Reds this weekend.
Liverpool announced a deal to sign Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven a few days after Christmas – before the transfer window had even opened. But he wasn’t eligible to play against Leicester as a result of not being registered, while the recent Brentford defeat came too early from a fitness perspective.
Gakpo, who has cost Liverpool an initial £37m before add-ons, hasn’t played since Netherlands were knocked out of the World Cup by eventual winners Argentina on 9 December.
But ahead of facing Wolves in the FA Cup on Saturday, Klopp appeared optimistic about the impact that the 23-year-old will have.
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“Cody has been in for two full training days and is a joy to watch to be honest,” the Liverpool boss explained. “In our situation, it's really nice to have a player who is pretty natural in a lot of things and knows where the goal is. He is obviously full of joy, enjoying each second at the moment.
“He looks really promising and fit. The sessions are intense for him because they're different. I'm very positive about him. Coming from a new league is always difficult, but we expect a positive impact."
Klopp has previously said that Gakpo is versatile enough to play anywhere across the front line but expects him to be happiest on the left flank. Ahead of what could be the player’s first game in a Liverpool shirt, the boss was again asked about the attributes he brings to the squad.
“He's a good footballer, good in small spaces, likes to shoot from distance, good finisher and dribbler,” Klopp said. “Everybody who wants to know about him could know as there are a lot of videos out there about him. It is nice to see in real life, in front of you.”