Now, no one would ever dare to question Cody Gakpo’s talent. This is a man who has more goals and assists than anyone else in the Eredivisie this season. A man who found the net three times for the Netherlands at the Qatar World Cup.
Ask regular viewers of Dutch football and they will tell you that Gakpo – explosive, ruthless and electrifying – is more than deserving of his £37 million move to Anfield. A big-money move to a major European league has been a long time in coming.
But Liverpool’s decision to spend their January budget on another talented forward, rather than reinforce a weak and ageing midfield, almost feels like the footballing equivalent of buying a 4K TV for your guest bedroom instead of replacing a broken boiler.
Gakpo, when all of Jurgen Klopp’s attackers are fully fit, is not even guaranteed a place in Liverpool’s best XI. The former Borussia Dortmund boss – as he battles to break that so-called ‘seventh season curse’ – could only dream of such strength in depth further back in midfield. Fabinho, James Milner, Thiago Alcarata and Jordan Henderson appear to have their best years in the rearview mirror, while neither Harvey Elliot nor Fabio Carvalho are ready to perform such an integral role against experienced opposition on a weekly basis.
Jurgen Klopp’s midfield wishes go unanswered at Liverpool
With Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez both commanding fees in excess of £100 million, hopes of either player arriving on Merseyside in January went up in smoke a long time ago. But even more affordable options appear to be beyond Liverpool’s reach too; Sofyan Amrabat, Moises Caicedo and Joao Gomes, to name but three.
“I don’t think so,” Klopp tells ESPN when asked about the prospect of further January additions. “We cannot solve all problems in the transfer market. I know in dreamland you would just buy players and (that) solves all problems. But I don’t see that coming.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers, then, could hardly have picked the ideal time to step up their interest in Flamengo’s 21-year-old Brazilian playmaker Joao Gomes. The 2022 Copa Libertadores champion has made no secret of his admiration for Liverpool – or Anfield favourite Thiago, for that matter – but the lack of funds at Klopp’s disposal leaves the door wide open for Wolves.
Joao Gomes on his way to Wolverhampton Wanderers
And, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Gomes is on his way to Molineux for a cool £15 million, Julen Lopetegui appears to be striding straight through it, Wolves investing heavily on new signings in an attempt to spend their way to safety. Klopp could be forgiven for glancing enviously over at Wolves’ new head coach and wishing such backing would come his way too.
“I dream of playing in several European leagues,” Gomes said last year, via Coluna do Fla. “But the Premier League is the one I watch the most, and is the most competitive. “My big dream is to play in the Premier League and I hope to achieve it. God willing.”
Gomes’ dream is about to become reality. And Liverpool’s loss could be Wolves’ gain.
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