The transfer that nearly happened and the one that changed everything

At some point during the final days of the transfer window, Cody Gakpo came very close to becoming a Manchester City player. City had reportedly tabled around £85million for the 27-year-old Dutchman, a figure that would have been difficult for most clubs to dismiss. The condition attached, however, was that Liverpool sourced a replacement forward, ideally a right-winger, before letting him go. When no such signing materialised, City walked away and turned to Iliman Ndiaye from Everton instead. For Gakpo, that sequence of events may ultimately prove to be one of the luckiest non-transfers of his career.

The irony is that while City were circling, Gakpo was busy reminding everyone of exactly what Liverpool would have been losing. He scored in the Premier League opener at Newcastle United and set up Alexander Isak's goal against Nottingham Forest in a 2-2 draw. He was also the player most visibly furious when a challenge on Victor Munoz went unpunished late in that Forest match, collar grabbing the fourth official's attention while the bench erupted around him. Not the behaviour of someone mentally halfway out of the door.

A fresh start and a position that could define his Anfield future

Last season was difficult for Gakpo. He was one of several players who bore the brunt of supporter frustration when results went wrong, and the criticism, particularly on social media, went well beyond the reasonable. He underperformed relative to his title-winning campaign the season prior, that much is fair to say, but he was far from alone in that. The arrival of Andoni Iraola represents a genuine clean slate, and Gakpo appears to be seizing it with both hands.

What makes his situation particularly interesting now is the £123million signing of Bradley Barcola, who made his name on the left flank, Gakpo's natural home. With Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha also favouring that side, the left wing suddenly looks crowded. That points Gakpo towards the right, a position he has limited experience in but one where his profile, different enough in style to those around him, could offer Iraola exactly the variation a rotation-heavy system needs. His only previous significant time there came during a spell covering for Mohamed Salah's absence at the Africa Cup of Nations in early 2024, but circumstances may now demand he gets properly comfortable there.

Why this could suit Liverpool more than anyone anticipated

There is also the matter of Hugo Ekitike's long-term injury, which leaves Gakpo as an option through the middle should Isaak need cover. Iraola has spoken openly about his intention to rotate his forward line regularly, and a player who can credibly operate on either flank or as a central striker is an asset that simply cannot be understated in a squad managing multiple competitions.

The fact that City valued Gakpo at £85million should also do wonders for his confidence after a bruising twelve months. He has come through the other side of a difficult spell, retained the trust of a new manager quickly enough to start meaningful Premier League matches, and now finds himself with a specific role to make his own rather than competing directly with the club's most expensive summer arrival. Gakpo staying at Liverpool felt like a footnote when the window closed. It is starting to look like something considerably more significant than that.