Cody Gakpo: How will Liverpool line up with World Cup star? | OneFootball

Cody Gakpo has been unveiled as a Liverpool player.

Just when it looked as though Manchester United were nailed on to sign the Dutch star, Liverpool swept in to secure the biggest move of the January transfer window so far.

With Fabrizio Romano already giving the deal his ‘Here We Go’ treatment, you just knew that the transfer was only ever an official confirmation tweet away from being totally done and dusted.

the club confirmed that the move had been completed subject to the player agreeing a work permit.

Given all the hype surrounding Gakpo, which was only amplified by his superb performances at the 2022 World Cup, you’ve got to say that it’s a fantastic coup by the Premier League giants.

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Where does Gakpo fit in at Liverpool?

However, when you zoom out a little bit, the deal does feel a little more confusing because it would be fair to say that the forward areas aren’t exactly Liverpool’s recruitment priority right now, especially given their woes in midfield.

Lest we forget, after all, that the Merseyside club already boasts Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino amongst others.

Yes, squad depth is absolutely critical and yes, Liverpool have injury problems right now, but that doesn’t answer the long-term question at hand here: where exactly does Gakpo fit in at Anfield?

How can Liverpool line up with Gakpo?

Well, fear not, Liverpool fans, because GIVEMESPORT is here to unpack the situation by providing you with five exciting ways that Jurgen Klopp can line up his team with their latest star signing.

And while scooping Gakpo might seem like overkill at first glance, there’s good reason to think that Liverpool have pulled off an incredibly shrewd move under closer inspection.

1. The most likely 4-3-3 variant

With Firmino, Jota and Diaz all currently on the treatment table, Klopp will likely have a very straightforward arrangement for his front tree when Gakpo first arrives.

The 23-year-old is arguably at his most dangerous coming in from the left, so would effortlessly slide into the Sadio Mane role while Salah manned the opposite flank and Nunez provided the muscle through the middle.

2. Fluid rotation with Nunez

But the main reason why Gakpo is such an inspired signing for Liverpool is because of his flexibility: he can play pretty much anywhere across the front three.

This gives Klopp some tantalising options going forward as his triumvirate of goalscorers can fluidly interchange, creating all sorts of headaches for defensive set-ups in ways that even the classic Mane-Firmino-Salah trio couldn’t manage.

And with both Gakpo and Nunez able to occupy the left wing and centre forward positions, it could be incredibly effective to rotate the pair between the two positions either from the start depending on the opposition or mid-game to confuse the defence.

3. Ultimate chaos

However, if you want to push that chaos even further then you can play Jota in place of Nunez with the Portuguese, like Gakpo, capable of playing on the right, left and through the middle.

Given that Salah also has experience playing as a false nine and would presumably still fare well on the left flank, there’s good reason to think that this front three arrangement could cause a brand of organised chaos that would be unrivalled in the Premier League.

4. The 4-2-3-1

But, as we know, Klopp has also dabbled in the 4-2-3-1 at times this season and that could also be a feasible option with Gakpo if the Reds boss wants to throw caution to the wind.

For better or for worse, you could guarantee that there would be entertainment with the rapid interchange and liquid movement of a Gakpo-Firmino-Salah-Nunez quartet. Pure, pure mayhem.

5. An all-action 4-4-2

However, if you want to go one step further and imagine a truly out-there option for Klopp to explore then we can posit the idea of a high-pressing 4-4-2 given that the trusty tactical staple of English football is becoming somewhat fashionable again.

This might be best reserved for the last 20 minutes of games or against low-block defences, but Gakpo and Nunez playing together as two centre forwards would certainly be fascinating, potentially serving as backboards to feed Diaz and Salah.

Is Gakpo a good signing for Liverpool?

So, take your pick, but the moral of the story is this: Gakpo is both a fabulous young player and a fabulous young player who can occupy a whole host of positions.

Not only do Liverpool’s forward options now look terrifying in terms of its general depth, but it’s also spine-tingling in the sheer number of different arrangements you can set them up in with Nunez, Gakpo, Jota and Firmino, in particular, all capable of constant rotation.

Brace yourselves because Liverpool’s front line could make for truly blockbuster viewing.