Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp praises Cody Gakpo after another good performance

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on Cody Gakpo after another impressive display in the 3-0 win over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

Although the Dutchman did not get a goal or an assist in the game, his movements, link-up play and positioning were immaculate. He should have got an assist late on in the game when he played Mohamed Salah through one-on-one against the Leicester goalkeeper, only for the Egyptian to miss his chance by a mile.

After struggling in his first few games in a Liverpool shirt following the January move from PSV Eindhoven, Gakpo has settled in well now and looks to have gotten grips with the false nine role, succeeding Roberto Firmino who is set to leave the club this summer.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp praises Cody Gakpo after another good performance . — Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on Cody Gakpo (L) after another good performance. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Here’s Klopp talking about Gakpo and his performance (h/t Mirror):

“He is a super footballer and a smart person. I never for second thought that he was only 24, but he is really young. He was captain at his previous club (PSV), which is special.

“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.”

The 24-year-old has added goals and assists to his name as well in the past few games. He has six goals and three assists in 19 league appearances in total so far.

As mentioned by Klopp, it is not just how good Gakpo is as a false nine, his adaptability when asked to play in different positions is great as well.

Gakpo has settled in well and should have a big part to play in Liverpool's fortunes next season. — Gakpo has settled in well and should have a big part to play in Liverpool’s fortunes next season. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

The former PSV captain is slowly becoming a key cog in the Liverpool wheel. We have to remember that he arrived in January this year. So, he is yet to have a full pre-season with the squad and Klopp.

The hope is that once the 24-year-old completes one full pre-season here, he would become even more influential in all the good things this team will potentially do next season.