Cody Gakpo completes Liverpool move from PSV; reveals how Virgil van Dijk influenced him to join The Reds
By Ayush Gupta | First Published Dec 29, 2022, 2:42 PM ISTCody Gakpo is officially a Liverpool player, having joined the club from PSV. While he completed the move on Wednesday, he has opened up about his transfer and how his Dutch teammate Virgil van Djik influenced it.
Dutch winger Cody Gakpo has eventually completed his highly talked-about move from Eredivisie giants PSV to English giants Liverpool, having successfully completed his medical on Wednesday night. He has reportedly signed a five-year contract with the club to keep him until 2025, while the move is worth £37 million. His transfer comes following his impactful outing with the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. While he was initially a heavy favourite to join The Reds' fierce rival Manchester United, having been linked since the summer, the move comes as a significant boost for Liverpool and a substantial setback for the Red Devils.
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United can practically now never sign the winger, both direct or indirect, given the rivalry between both clubs. Notably, Gakpo has expressed his desire to work with the Red Devils' head coach Erik ten Hag and was open to moving to Old Trafford. Then, what made him change his mind?
The answer is Gakpo's national teammate and now a fellow Liverpool defender Virgil van Djik, as the former told The Reds, "At the moment I was calling [in] with the coach, he came into the office and saw me. We chatted a little bit. We spoke extensively over the phone [in] the last few days."
"What he told me was that this is the right move for me to make and to develop and become a better player, that the club is massive, but also like a real family. I think that's also very important for me because I'm a family guy. He said only good things. I'm happy he's here to help me with some stuff. I'm grateful to be here," added van Djik.
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In the meantime, Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp added, "It is excellent news for us that we have been able to do it. The work that has gone into this has been awe-inspiring, and in the end, we have managed to sign a player we have known about for quite some time and who we believe will have a bright future with us."
"There is a lot to like about Cody. He is still only 23 years old, but he already has a lot of experience. We know he is a smart footballer and a smart person, so we are excited to be able to work with him," concluded Klopp. The Dutchman would only be eligible to play for The Reds from next month since his transfer can only be registered once the January transfer window officially opens on New Year's day.
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