Cody Gakpo has been urged to remain at Liverpool and fight for his place despite the arrivals of wingers Victor Munoz and Yan Diomande. Former Netherlands star Rafael van der Vaart believes Gakpo can still be a key player for the Reds but needs to add variety to his game.
Gakpo's challenging season at Liverpool
The 27-year-old scored seven goals in 36 Premier League appearances last season as Liverpool failed to defend their title under Arne Slot. That disappointing campaign cost Slot his job, and new boss Andoni Iraola has already signed Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5 million. Iraola is also pursuing RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande, an Ivory Coast teenager who plays on the wing.
Gakpo's future at Anfield has been questioned, but he reminded fans of his quality by scoring twice for the Netherlands in a 5-1 World Cup win over Sweden. His second goal was a trademark cut inside from the left and a right-footed finish.
Van der Vaart's advice
Speaking to AceOdds.com, Van der Vaart said: "For me, Cody Gakpo is the difference between the Netherlands making the final or semi-final or getting knocked out earlier. When he has a good day, he is our best weapon, but the other teams are not stupid, so they are trying to double up on him the whole time."
He added: "I would like him to make more deep runs without the ball and not only go inside when he is dribbling. He also needs to go outside sometimes. He is too predictable and against Japan, that was really not good to see. He never goes outside."
Fight for his place
Van der Vaart stressed that Gakpo should stay at Liverpool: "I think he should be a key player for Liverpool. A while ago, he was a key player at Liverpool, and he was doing well, but he should be a key player. But on the other hand, it doesn't make sense for him to sit on the bench. He wants to play, and when he doesn't get the minutes you want, you will always consider moving on to another club, but personally I think he should stay and fight for his position next season."
Gakpo signed a new five-year contract with Liverpool on August 30, 2025, which runs until the summer of 2030. He joined the Reds from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and has made 180 appearances for the club, scoring 50 goals.
