Arne Slot should take a lesson from Ronald Koeman to unlock Cody Gakpo for Liverpool... the Dutch star has looked a different beast for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, writes LEWIS STEELE

While Liverpool fans person spent nan past fewer weeks demanding nan nine to scatter nan rate connected a caller guardant player, Dutchman Cody Gakpo has been engaged putting successful performances that bring to mind that aged adage from Hollywood royalty Paul Newman.

‘Why would I spell retired for hamburgers erstwhile I person steak astatine home,’ asked nan precocious movie prima successful 1968, talking astir extramarital affairs. Mail Sport’s communicative connected really Liverpool made a play for Anthony Gordon caused excitement – rightly truthful – but don’t hide what you person astatine home.

Notes of negativity tin beryllium applied to each of Liverpool’s forwards – Mo Salah is not getting immoderate younger, Luis Diaz often lacks extremity product, Diogo Jota is wounded prone, Gakpo has not been utilized correctly and, well, Darwin Nunez is Darwin Nunez – truthful nan desire is understandable.

If Liverpool had much fire-power, they could beryllium amended placed to extremity Manchester City’s monopoly connected English shot and adjacent nan nine-point spread to nan champions. But caput coach Arne Slot was picked retired of a crowded longlist of candidates owed to his expertise to amended players’ output.

The Anfield nine are unfastened to opportunities to motion a caller attacker this summertime and person not ruled retired doing truthful – Gordon was keen connected a move and that woody is not wholly dormant yet – but Slot has a way grounds of coaching upwards and will beryllium trusted to do truthful pinch his caller forwards.

Which brings america connected to his compatriot Gakpo. After a sparkling run astatine Euro 2024, nan 25-year-old is an extracurricular changeable astatine subordinate of nan tourney and successful rod position to return nan Golden Boot pinch 3 goals and a drawstring of dazzling displays.

After signing for nan Reds from PSV Eindhoven conscionable aft nan 2022 World Cup, Gakpo threatened to return England by large wind and looked for illustration a unit to beryllium reckoned pinch successful his early months successful England, astir notably scoring a brace successful a 7-0 triumph complete Manchester United.

He began nan adjacent play cardinal to Jurgen Klopp’s plans, starting nan first 3 games astatine No 9. But erstwhile Nunez came disconnected nan chair astatine Newcastle to people a match-winning brace, Gakpo fell down nan pecking bid and only really sewage backmost successful nan last weeks of nan campaign.

Despite playing 53 times, astir were disconnected nan chair and nan starts came successful games of lesser importance. Of those matches, 27 were played predominantly arsenic a No 9, 12 astatine near wing, 7 connected nan correct and 7 successful midfield.

Mr Versatile, you whitethorn think. It is decidedly a front successful Gakpo’s headdress that he tin slot successful each complete nan transportation – he moreover vanished 1 crippled astatine afloat backmost – but it is astir apt a amended statement that he is simply a unfortunate of his versatility, ne'er genuinely capable to nail down a position and consciousness comfortable.

For Netherlands, though, he is playing successful his rightful location connected nan near – and he looks for illustration a different beast. ‘First, his position is connected nan near side,’ said Dutch leader Ronald Koeman aft his extremity and assistance against Romania successful nan 3-0 triumph connected Tuesday.

‘He is really vulnerable if he comes one-on-one pinch nan correct afloat back. Inside, outside, he has his qualities, he’s strong. He’s playing astatine a awesome level astatine this tournament. He’s possibly our astir important subordinate until now.’

He has been playing pinch a vibrancy akin to nan Dutch orangish shirts and a state seldom seen past play astatine nine level. Due to falling retired of favour astatine Liverpool, he often looked frightened to propulsion nan trigger pinch a changeable – but that is not nan lawsuit for nan Netherlands this tournament.

Gakpo has ne'er lacked belief and sources adjacent to nan subordinate propose that is down to his beardown belief faith. While his nine team-mates walk flights to overseas destinations watching Netflix aliases playing games, Gakpo often sounds passages from nan Bible.

‘Not only successful my career, belief helps my full life,’ he told Mail Sport during an question and reply past August. ‘It’s a manner for me. I return nan Bible pinch maine everyplace and each day. I speak to group astir it each day, ever trying to study from it. I was ever searching for something.’

Indeed, erstwhile location was mounting liking successful him successful summertime 2022 – from Leeds and Southampton – Gakpo decided to fto destiny determine his future. In a crippled against FC Volendam, he made a committedness to a friend.

If he scored once, he would spell to Southampton. If he netted twice, he would subordinate Leeds. If he scored a hat-trick aliases more, he would enactment astatine PSV until nan adjacent window. Due to his confidence, location was nary action for if he grounded to find nan backmost of nan net.

He opened nan scoring early on, had a brace by half-time and, conscionable aft nan interval, saw an effort return a dense deflection into nan goal. As he was substituted for a remainder successful nan 7-1 win, he thought astir really it was successful God’s hands whether it would beryllium awarded an ain extremity aliases not.

In nan extremity God, aliases nan Dutch authorities much likely, decided it was Gakpo’s extremity and he stayed put, scoring 13 goals and assisting a further 16 successful nan first half of that play earlier sealing his £44million move to Merseyside.

It was worthy nan wait, though it was difficult for him to time off PSV. Like many, Gakpo idolised Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi – but his puerility chamber besides had homages to Eindhoven icons for illustration Phillip Cocu, Ibrahim Affelay and Jefferson Farfan.

While galore stars pitchy disconnected to exotic statement islands successful nan off-season, Gakpo spent past summertime doing charitable activity successful his father’s African homeland of Togo. His unsocial but admirable outlook connected life arsenic a superstar does not extremity there, pinch respective different side-projects.

Gakpo is simply a landlord and lets properties successful 5 cities crossed nan southbound of Holland – Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Roermond, Weert and Geleen – though it must beryllium said tenants person complained nan properties are 'not fresh for quality habitation' pinch vermin infestations, according to Dutch reports.

He is portion of an finance group – alongside different sports stars including Mark Cavendish and Lando Norris – which has helped sports exertion start-up firms to nan tune of £43million. Gakpo besides has his ain backstage strategies coach, Loran Vrielink, a erstwhile hoops player.

With Vrielink’s elaborate help, it feels for illustration Gakpo is yet processing a playbook of skills to devastate defences. It mightiness beryllium a quiet summertime up astatine Anfield successful position of caller signings – but if that is nan case, Gakpo could astonishment a fewer adjacent season.

The 1 man who mightiness person nan biggest vested liking successful that is Slot, his caller leader astatine Liverpool but besides a Dutchman. ‘I dream he tin measurement up a spot more, particularly successful nan semi-final (possibly against England)!’, he said. ‘He's awesome and I dream he tin proceed doing so.’