Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was left ‘baffled’ by the club’s decision to sign Cody Gakpo.
Gakpo was the side’s only addition of the January transfer window, having completed the move from PSV on December 28.
The 23-year-old had enjoyed a prolific start to the season in the Eredivisie but is yet to hit the ground running in the Premier League and is still seeking his first debut goal.
Whilst Gakpo has made six appearances so far, he is likely going to feature significantly less when Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz return to action. Both attackers have been sidelined with injury for several months but will rank higher in the pecking order over the unproven Dutch international.
Carragher baffled by Klopp’s transfer decision
Carragher questioned this factor, as well as the fact that Jurgen Klopp and the board sought a forward rather than a midfielder, despite the position lacking serious depth and quality for Liverpool.
He said (via The Telegraph): “In attack, Diaz started his Liverpool brilliantly but [Darwin] Nunez is a work in progress, and I am baffled watching Gakpo’s early performances.
“Why commit up to £45 million on someone who will be on the bench when Diaz and Diogo Jota are fit? Especially when another area of the team needed strengthening? Since the summer of 2022, Liverpool have committed £180 million on four attackers in Luis Diaz, Fabio Carvalho, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo. Liverpool’s owners did not fail to invest. They failed to invest in a midfielder. Now they need a new midfield.
”Liverpool wanted to sign one in Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco, knowing his market value was £75 million. When Tchouameni chose Real Madrid, the money was there if Klopp wanted an alternative, but he opted to wait until 2023, hoping he will lure Jude Bellingham. That was Klopp’s call, not owner John W. Henry’s.”