Klopp confirms Firmino replacement as ‘Barcelona transfer agreed’
Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Cody Gakpo can fill the void left by Roberto Firmino after it was confirmed the Brazilian has agreed a move to Barcelona.
Firmino, 31, has been at Liverpool since 2015 but is set to depart the club at the end of his contract in June - despite being offered fresh terms. The Mail first reported that the former Hoffenheim man is now expected to join the Spanish giants, having scored an impressive 109 goals in 360 appearances during his time at Anfield.
Despite Firmino’s impending departure, Klopp may have already found a replacement. January arrival Gakpo has impressed since his big-money move from PSV. The Dutchman has scored five goals in 14 Premier League matches and started in the center-forward berth for Liverpool’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.
Speaking after the Reds’ win on Saturday, Klopp said: “If you watched international football over the last five, six years as a footballer and you love football, and if you are in a similar role, have a similar job to do in the game and you didn’t pick up anything from Bobby Firmino, that would be a bad decision, to be honest.
“We play in public, so you can watch all the games. I think Bobby in this role is an inspiration for pretty much every player in a similar position, so that’s clear.
“Cody is 23 years old, he was captain of his former club – I had no clue how that happens that early and then when he arrived here you realize, ‘Ah OK, he’s a super-smart kid, really open and a real team player’ and stuff like this. On top of that, a really good footballer.
“He can play this position, can play wide, can play the center. The real nine, a bit higher up, he can play that as well; double striker, can play that as well. So, he can create his own way there on the position, so it’s not like we have to do it exactly [the same] because nobody can do it like Bobby, because nobody is Bobby.”
Gakpo started in a front line that included Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota either side as Liverpool secured their second successive Premier League victory. That left Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez on the bench - but Klopp has defended his choice to keep picking Gakpo in the side.
Klopp continued: “That means you have to find your own way and I think that’s much more important. That’s where Cody is up to. I thought Cody, since he’s here, did exceptionally well.
“We didn’t do that well – that for a new player is super-difficult. It’s super-difficult to come into the team and it’s not clicking. He did really well in that period. And now when we do better then obviously people maybe realize his performances, and that’s it. But from the first day since he’s here, he’s a real joy to work with.”