Dirk Kuyt has backed Cody Gakpo to become the latest Dutch player to enjoy long-term success at Liverpool.
Recruited by the Reds during the January transfer window from PSV Eindhoven, Gakpo arrived on Merseyside having already established himself as one of Europe’s brightest talents courtesy of performances for club and country.
During the opening 14 league matches of PSV’s 2022/23 season, the 23-year-old had scored nine times while registering 12 assists. Following up this form at the World Cup in Qatar, Gakpo was on target in each of his country’s three group stage games to showcase his ability on a global stage.
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Manchester United were viewed as the most likely destination for the forward when the winter transfer window opened, though it was Liverpool who struck a deal to lure Gakpo away from his boyhood club.
Watching on with pride after witnessing this deal being done was none other than Kuyt, who himself followed the very same path from the Netherlands to Liverpool back in 2006 after leaving Feyenoord.
“It was great he signed for Liverpool,” the 42-year-old told the ECHO of Gakpo’s Anfield switch. “I watched him a lot in the Eredivisie and everyone could see he was a top-quality player. He had a great World Cup, scoring a few goals, and he deserved his transfer to Liverpool. This move made me very happy.”
After failing to find the back of the net in his opening six games for Liverpool, Gakpo was unable to hit the ground running in a Reds shirt but now appears more accustomed to the team’s attacking methods. Opening his goalscoring account for the club in February’s Merseyside derby helped to lift some pressure off his shoulders, and Gakpo truly won supporters over when bagging a brace in a 7-0 humiliation of Manchester United.
All too aware of the challenges that come with swapping the Eredivisie for the Premier League, Kuyt has insisted he always knew Gakpo’s class would eventually shine through.
“I think the expectations for him are very high and he has already shown his quality in several games,” stated the 42-year-old. “A few people are expecting him to do that every week, but I don’t think that is fair because it is a huge step to come from the Eredivisie to the Premier League and I think I can judge that because I made the same step.
“When I joined Liverpool back in the day, I lost six kilos in weight because of the intensity of the league. Cody came here in the middle of the season and had to adapt to a new team and division, so it is not fair to judge him straight away.
“The main challenge is the intensity: the tempo in the game is much higher and the players you play against are more physical,” continued Kuyt when explaining the main differences between the two leagues.
“A lot of young players get the opportunity to play matches in Holland, which is great, but you play with and against the best players in the world in the Premier League. When you play at Liverpool, people expect you to be the best every day and that’s even the case with Mohamed Salah, people still judge him when he doesn’t score. That says everything about the pressure these players have to deal with. If one player can do it, I think it’s Cody.”
Whether or not Liverpool turn their attention back to the Dutch top flight this summer when conducting transfer business remains to be seen, though it is clear to see the division is home to in-demand figures.
Manchester United recruited Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia from the Eredivisie ahead of the current campaign and Kuyt has urged Liverpool to keep a close eye on those developing at his former club, Feyenoord.
Currently top of the league by eight points with five matches remaining, success has been delivered by a squad whose average age (23.4) is the third youngest in the division. Partly responsible for the growth of certain first-team members courtesy of his two-year spell as manager of Feyenoord under-19s between 2018 and 2020, Kuyt believes it is only a matter of time before those he worked closely with mirror Gakpo’s career trajectory.
“I am a Feyenoord man and they are doing very well at the moment,” he said with a wide smile on his face. "They have a very good manager in Arne Slot and some of the younger guys like Orkun Kokcu and Lutsharel Geertruida are knocking on the door and playing very well. It won’t take long for the interest of top European teams to be there for them. I hope Liverpool is interested in Feyenoord players, and I am an example it can work!
“When I was working as under-19s coach, Kokcu and Geertruida were in my team at the time. At Ajax you now have the likes of Jurrien Timber and Kenneth Taylor, who we were playing against. You know who the talented players are and you can see they are going to have big futures. Gakpo was a great talent and everyone knew from watching him at youth level that he would one day play for a club like Liverpool.”
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