34 apps this season: Liverpool could accept offers for Reds regular who’s a ‘key man’ for Slot

Liverpool could reportedly be open to offers for one player who’s featured in the overwhelming majority of their games so far this season.

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Following the sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich last summer, Cody Gakpo has been a near-constant selection on the left wing for Arne Slot’s side, appearing in 34 of the Reds’ 39 matches. He missed three through injury and was rested for both Carabao Cup ties in the autumn (Transfermarkt).

His seven-goal tally puts him joint-third in the Anfield scoring charts for 2025/26, but a fresh report suggests that he might be up for grabs if the circumstances are right for FSG.

Liverpool could be open to selling Gakpo this summer

According to Pete O’Rourke for Football Insider, Liverpool could be open to selling the 26-year-old in the summer if they identify a top target for the left-sided attacking berth, despite his head coach seeing him as an integral first-team presence.

The transfer reporter explained: “If Liverpool were to bring in another left-sided attacker in the summer, then maybe that potentially could open the door for a move away for Cody Gakpo, but he’s under contract until 2030.

“By all accounts he remains happy at the club, even though he does come in for a bit of flak from some Liverpool fans for his performances. He’s clearly still seen as a key man by Arne Slot, because he keeps picking him.”

Hard to see Liverpool selling Gakpo as things stand

While Gakpo’s return of seven goals from 34 games this season isn’t appalling, he’s come in for plenty of criticism on social media from supporters who view him as being too predictable in attack, frequently cutting inside from the left flank and being snuffed out by opposition defenders.

Journalist Ian Doyle recently hit out at the flak that the Dutchman has been receiving from some quarters, labelling the treatment as ‘disgraceful’ and rejecting accusations that he only gets picked because he and Slot share a nationality.

The head coach’s cautious use of Rio Ngumoha, allied with the exit of Diaz last summer, means that competition for the left-winger berth isn’t as intense as in previous years, although Florian Wirtz has been selected in that position in a few fixtures.

Whilst ultimately every player has their price, it seems unlikely that Liverpool would countenance selling Gakpo unless they were fully confident of signing a readymade starting alternative in the next transfer window.

Speculation over a potential swoop for RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande has continued apace, so the Reds’ number 18 might be considered more dispensable if the Ivory Coast winger were to be signed.

Also, as O’Rourke mentioned, the 26-year-old signed a new long-term contract at Anfield just six months ago, which suggests that he and the club are quite happy to continue their mutual association for the foreseeable future.

We don’t expect Gakpo to be sold this year, but hopefully he can finish this season strongly and dispel the criticism which has stalked him of late.

You can watch Slot’s full pre-Nottingham Forest press conference below, via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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