What scouts are already saying Cody Gakpo must improve at after signing for Liverpool

 

Scouts see one weakness in Cody Gakpo after his move to Liverpool. It’s something they must quickly work to improve.

This comes from the Athletic. They claim that scouts view one weakness in Cody Gakpo‘s game – his defending. It’s something Liverpool must work on quickly.

Gakpo officially signed for Liverpool on Wednesday, completing a deal said to start at £37m. It’s something of a surprise, too, given Manchester United were long thought to be leading that race.

The Reds jumped in and made him theirs, however. Gakpo signs after a fantastic year with PSV Eindhoven, winning the Dutch Footballer of the Year award and putting up incredible numbers.

12 assists and nine goals in 14 Eredivisie games shows that off. But it seems the scouts don’t exactly see him as perfect.

Gakpo will need to learn how to defend better – and in Liverpool’s style. That won’t be easy – or a particularly quick process – but it must be done.

Scouts on Cody Gakpo

Liverpool certainly won’t have signed Gakpo unless they were 100 per cent certain that he’d click on his defence. There’s no doubt about that.

So while it’s something he’ll need to work on, it’s not something anyone should really worry about. Gakpo has the physicality, the engine and the intelligence to become a fantastic asset in winning the ball back.

And, of course, he’s got some sensational pressing players to work alongside. Mohamed Salah has been doing it at the top level for years, while Darwin Nunez is a relentless machine.

Having someone like Jordan Henderson directing him helps, too, as it does with everyone else. This isn’t just on the coaches, then – the players will be just as important in improving Gakpo.

So we’re not worried. Gakpo looks like a tremendous signing and at 23, he’s got room to improve in every area.