Club legend Jamie Carragher says he is ‘baffled’ over Liverpool’s decision not to sign a midfielder in January and instead bring in Cody Gakpo to reinforce the front line.
The Dutchman Gakpo joined Jurgen Klopp’s side from PSV in Liverpool’s only new face of the mid-season transfer window as the Reds looked to provide cover for the injured attacking duo Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota.
In his column for The Telegraph, Carragher has questioned Liverpool’s transfer business as the ex-Red admitted he was left puzzled over why Gakpo was signed instead of a new midfielder to freshen things up in the engine room.
“Since the summer of 2022, Liverpool have committed £180million on four attackers in Luis Diaz, Fabio Carvalho, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.
“Liverpool’s owners did not fail to invest. They failed to invest in a midfielder. Now they need a new midfield.
“Liverpool wanted to sign one in Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco, knowing his market value was £75million. When Tchouameni chose Real Madrid, the money was there if Klopp wanted an alternative, but he opted to wait until 2023, hoping he will lure Jude Bellingham. That was Klopp’s call, not owner John W. Henry’s.
“In attack, Diaz started his Liverpool career brilliantly but Nunez is a work in progress, and I am baffled watching Gakpo’s early performances. Gakpo is not a typical Klopp signing, lacking lightning pace and the capacity to lead a high press.
“Why commit up to £45million on someone who will be on the bench when Díaz and Diogo Jota are fit? Especially when another area of the team needed strengthening?”
It is well documented that Liverpool remain keen on landing Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham this summer but the Merseysiders are sure to face heavy competition to secure that transfer.
The likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City are all in the mix for the England midfielder while Liverpool could be concerned over their poor domestic form playing spoilsport to their plans for Bellingham.
