Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has heaped praise on his teammate and compatriot Cody Gakpo.
The two Dutch internationals know each other very well. They’ve played together for both club and country, and it looks like Van Dijk gets along with Gakpo brilliantly.
Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk praises Cody Gakpo
Liverpool signed Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in January this year.
Many expected the Dutchman to join Manchester United at the time, but Jurgen Klopp‘s side wrapped up a deal to sign the 24-year-old very quickly for a fee between £35 million and £45 million (Sky Sports).
Gakpo has done well at Liverpool over the last 11 months. He can play in a number of different positions, score goals, create chances and is a solid player to have in the squad.
Virgil van Dijk was asked to name one nice thing about Gakpo by the Premier League this week. The Liverpool skipper admitted that his compatriot is a ‘fantastic’ player, but he loves him more for the person he is.
The centre-back said: “One nice attribute about Cody Gakpo is just the person he is in general. What a guy!
“Obviously, he’s a fantastic player, but just the person he is, he’s a great guy and we should be very happy to have him around us.”
Jurgen Klopp needs to find Gakpo’s best position
One of Cody Gakpo’s biggest qualities at Liverpool is his versatility.
The Dutchman can play in any of the front three positions, as an attacking midfielder and also a number eight if required. Jurgen Klopp has used him in almost all of the above roles, and he has done a great job so far.
However, we really think a consistent run of games for Gakpo in one position will bring the best out of him. The Dutchman’s four goals and an assist this season have all come when he has started as a centre-forward.
However, whether that is his best position is still unclear, and it’s up to Klopp to find that out in the coming weeks and months.