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Cody Gakpo reveals Virgil van Dijk role in Liverpool transfer.
Cody Gakpo has acknowledged that he spoke with fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk before deciding to sign with Liverpool.
Since moving to Liverpool in January 2018, Van Dijk has been a fan favourite. Now, four years later, another Dutch international is ready to join him after the Reds agreed to spend an initial £37 million to sign Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven.
Gakpo had initially been expected to join Manchester United after months of public flirting, but the forward has now revealed how Van Dijk helped him choose Liverpool instead.
“We spoke a lot over the phone [in] the last days,” Gakpo told Sky Sports News.
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“What he told me was that this is the right move for me to make and for me to develop and to become a better player, that the club is a really big and massive club 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 also happy that he’s here, so he can help me with some stuff. I’m really grateful to be here.”
Due to injuries to Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, whose absences left Liverpool without a natural left winger before this recent signing, Gakpo joins a stacked forward line at Anfield but may receive plenty of opportunity to shine early on.
Jurgen Klopp now has a selection of Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino to choose from in the short run, with Diaz and Jota expected to return to training in the new year.