Arne Slot has made tactical decision regarding Liverpool ace; could raise questions about 25y/o
Arne Slot is believed to have already made a firm decision regarding one Liverpool player’s position in the team for the upcoming season.
According to Football Insider, the Reds’ new head coach plans to use Cody Gakpo solely as a centre-forward, a marked contrast to how Jurgen Klopp frequently alternated the 25-year-old’s role on the pitch over the past 18 months.
The report also stated that the decision to play the £44m Netherlands international at the apex of attack could cast doubt on the future of Darwin Nunez, who’s primarily led the line at Anfield since his arrival from Benfica two years ago.
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Gakpo managed to score 16 times last season despite often being shunted between centre-forward, the two flanks and even a number 10 role (Transfermarkt).
Liverpool’s number 18 has shone on the left flank at Euro 2024, scoring twice for Netherlands in the group stage prior to Tuesday evening’s round of 16 clash against Romania.
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Despite that, Slot seems determined to use him exclusively down the middle, which’d leave the ex-PSV Eindhoven star competing with fellow 25-year-old Nunez to lead the line while Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota vie for a starting berth on the left.
If these reports are indeed accurate, Gakpo is likely to be quite pleased for two main reasons. Not only will he have assurances over a fixed position rather than being shoehorned into various roles, he’d also have just one competitor for a place in the team rather than two.
Of course, the picture could change depending on circumstances such as an injury crisis necessitating tactical tweaks, but the new head coach appears to have a very firm plan in mind when his full squad is available to him.
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