Gakpo Yet to Speak to New Liverpool Boss Slot, Confident About Transition
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has revealed he has not yet spoken to new manager Arne Slot but is confident Slot can step into Jurgen Klopp’s shoes at Anfield.
In an interview with Voetbal International, relayed by PSV Fans, Gakpo discussed the managerial change at Liverpool as a new era begins.
Slot was confirmed as Liverpool’s new manager last week following Jurgen Klopp’s departure at the end of the Premier League season. Klopp had announced earlier this year his decision to leave Anfield, citing fatigue and a lack of motivation to complete his contract.
The Reds were initially silent about Klopp’s replacement but eventually chose Slot, who has garnered attention with his impressive work at Feyenoord.
Transitioning from the Eredivisie to the Premier League is challenging, but Gakpo believes Slot will adapt well, even though they haven’t spoken directly.
“I don’t know the ins and outs of his working method yet,” Gakpo said. “I played against him a few times with PSV, but I have never really spoken to him. What I know is that Slot wants to put a lot of pressure on his teams and play careful football on the ball.
“Certainly, that high pressure was also a characteristic of Klopp. So, we are used to that. The club has made a well-considered choice. I can’t say much else about it yet.”
Gakpo, who joined Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 for €42 million, has been adjusting to life in the Premier League. While his 23 goals and nine assists in 79 games for Liverpool do not match his 55 goals and 50 assists in 159 games for PSV, he feels he has made significant progress in other areas.
“Especially physically. Conditional content, muscle mass, pace, intensity,” Gakpo explained regarding his development. “I’m not really into the data, but I saw that there were big differences compared to my period at PSV. Especially in the number of high-intensity runs. That physical development is now helping also to appear fit for the Dutch team.”