It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Liverpool’s front line could receive a serious shake up this summer.
The Reds’ long-established front three will all have entered their thirties and be about to begin the final year of their existing contracts, as things stand.
One player who might make a move to Anfield is Cody Gakpo, a Dutch international winger who currently plays for PSV Eindhoven.
They’re not a club the Reds have had much of a relationship with over the years, with the only transfer in either direction being the purchase of Jan Kromkamp back in 2006 when Rafa Benitez was playing right-back roulette.
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Gakpo is significantly more highly rated than his potential predecessor though, with Dutch news outlet Voetbal International reporting that both Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in adding the 22-year-old to their squads.
A look at even the most basic of statistics shows that his contribution has taken a significant step forward this season.
The PSV winger has scored six goals (one from the penalty spot) and provided 10 assists in the Eredivisie already with the combined total at least three better than he has managed in any previous completed campaign.
The numbers also give an insight into how he likes to score goals, before you even look up a highlights compilation.
Gakpo has mainly played on the left during his career, though has displayed his versatility by also featuring on the right and as a central forward at times.
But 17 of his 25 goals for PSV and the Netherlands (per WhoScored) have been scored on his right foot.
He loves to receive the ball on the left, dribble forward, cut inside and unleashed curling shots towards the far post.
Without wanting to over hype his talents, imagine a mirror image of what Mohamed Salah has done so often for Liverpool down the years and you at least get an indication of how Gakpo likes to play.
He could certainly improve his shooting choices at times though, as while his shot volume has increased so has the proportion of efforts from outside the box.
Sebastian Haller is the only player in the Eredivisie to have played at least as many minutes as Gakpo while averaging more shots per 90 minutes this season.
But just three percent of his attempts from been from outside the penalty area when that figure stands at 40 percent for the potential Liverpool target.
They’re different styles of player, of course, but it’s an area for Gakpo to work on. Nonetheless, his stats show how he appears to have outgrown Dutch football.
Just as his shooting frequency has improved, so has his creativity.
Per Sofascore, Gakpo created six clear-cut chances in the league in 2019/20, then seven last season. He has nine so far in this campaign, the second most in the division.
Dusan Tadic, with 20, is way off in the distance, but only two players have set up more than nine big chances in the 2021/22 Premier League, with two of them (Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah) already at Liverpool.
As always when considering if a player can match up to Jurgen Klopp’s high demands for work-rate, we have to take a quick look at the defensive numbers.
In Gakpo’s case we’re limited to European competition for the in-depth data on FBRef, but he looks to have done pretty well.
His average of 15.7 pressures per 90 minutes across his limited time (869 minutes) puts him slightly above Salah (13.8) and Sadio Mane in the league this season (13.9), so he looks to have the necessary desire to press as a wide forward for the Reds.
With a contract until 2025, and rumours of an extension, this summer may come too soon for Gakpo, at least in terms of moving to the Premier League.
He’s certainly an interesting prospect to keep an eye on though.
