New figures reveal how Cody Gakpo will be perfect for Liverpool under Arne Slot

The latest figures released by the CIES Football Observatory have told us that Cody Gakpo will be perfect for the incoming Arne Slot at Liverpool - but how?

Slot is almost nailed on to become the next Liverpool manager and succeed Jurgen Klopp and the footballing world has been considering who will fit into his high-pressure and high-energy style of play. What is helpful is that his style does boast many similarities to Klopp which should help ease the transition process - and Gakpo could be perfect for his new side.

Firstly, since Slot took over at Feyenoord in 2021, they are first in Europe's top 7 leagues for 'high turnovers', 'shot ending high turnovers', and 'goal ending high turnovers'. This means he places a huge importance on his sides being very difficult to play against as he demands a lot from his players when it comes to pressing from the front.

Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were brilliant at this in the past but Gakpo currently ranks at the 11th best defensive forward in Europe’s top five leagues and sixth in the Premier League. The only players to be more effective at pressuring teams from the front are Anthony Gordon, Miguel Almiron, Elijah Adebayo, Richarlison and Heung-Min Son. Those figures combine both the distance covered at high speed in the defensive phase and the number of pressures exerted on opponents without physical or ball contact - which are both vital for carrying out Slot’s tactics.

Despite making 51 appearances in all competitions totalling 2,860 minutes so far, Luis Diaz has often been chosen over him as he has started double the amount of league games and played an extra 800 minutes in all competitions. Gakpo boasts three more goal contributions in that time and his most recent performance against Tottenham in the dominating 4-2 win at Anfield proved he deserves more chances to play in his most natural position - attacking off the left. And his aerial threat gives him an added dynamic.

While he isn’t a natural out-and-out winger like Diaz, Slot favours a narrow 4-3-3 shape and Gakpo would thrive in that position that stands between a left-winger and a striker. It’s a position that helped him to achieve 64 goal contributions in a season and a half at PSV Eindhoven before it earned him the move to Liverpool.

With rumours of Diaz being targeted by other clubs in the summer and the seemingly better stylistic fit in Slot’s future side more suited to Gakpo, we could see the Dutchman discover a new level in a Liverpool shirt if Slot takes to the helm this summer.