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Cody Gakpo will have to wait for his Liverpool debut as Jurgen Klopp doesn’t include a new £45m star in the squad for the Brentford trip, and the Dutch striker is likely to make his debut in the third-round clash. round of the FA Cup with Wolves.
Liverpool’s £45m new signing Cody Gakpo sat out their trip to Brentford on Monday night.
Gakpo joined the Reds from PSV this month after Jurgen Klopp’s side pulled off an upset to grab the deal from rivals Manchester United, and the Dutch World Cup star has been preparing to make your debut.
But the 23-year-old will now have to wait to take his bow after his new German boss failed to name him in the squad. He hopes to make his first appearance in the club’s FA Cup third round tie against Wolves on Saturday night.
Cody Gakpo was not included in Liverpool’s squad to face Brentford on Monday
Jurgen Klopp moved quickly to get his man but was forced to wait for his debut.
Gakpo came close to joining Man United last summer before the move fell through, and the player put himself back in the spotlight during his time with the Netherlands in Qatar, where he scored three times and led his team to the quarter-finals.
Liverpool moved quickly to close the deal before their rivals, with the player signing a five-and-a-half-year deal at Anfield.
After his move was confirmed last week, Gakpo told the club: “I feel great, I’m very excited to be here.” I am really looking forward to start training and start playing for this amazing club.
“I think for me personally it’s also good to develop here and there are a lot of great players here.” [who] I can learn many things from.’
Gakpo scored three goals for the Dutch national team during their World Cup campaign in Qatar
He added: “I’m looking forward to [playing at Anfield]. I heard a lot of great stories about the stadium, about the atmosphere. I can not wait.
‘Obviously [my aim is] win as many awards as we can as a team, perform well, show the world what we can do as a team and what I can do as a player. And personally, just to keep developing and becoming a better player every season.
“I am very grateful that everyone is giving me such a warm welcome and I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the stadium and in the city.”
The striker has been in brilliant form for his home team this year and has already contributed nine goals and 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie games this term.
The winger now hopes to feature in the club’s FA Cup third round clash against Wolves.
The 23-year-old’s signing comes amid injury concerns for Luis Díaz, following his knee surgery, while Darwin Núñez is struggling to find his rhythm up front.
On Boxing Day, PSV confirmed in a statement that a club record deal had been reached between the two parties over the Gakpo move.
Liverpool confirmed the move last week, with a statement saying: “The 23-year-old striker will officially become a Reds player at the start of the January transfer window after agreeing personal terms and successfully completing a medical in the AXA Training Center”.