Cody Gakpo speaks about a difficult year both on and off the pitch, and his proposed move to Manchester City falling through in the final days of the summer transfer window.
The last 12 months have probably been the most difficult of Cody Gakpo's career, if not his life. He has been through a storm both on and off the pitch.
Whether that is the constant abuse he received throughout last season in a Liverpool shirt, or, more importantly, the devastating loss of his child during pregnancy earlier this year.
But the Dutchman has kept on going, pushed forward, showing immense character and mental strength, and is hopefully seeing light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
He has recently been speaking about the criticism he got during the 2025/26 campaign, as well as how close he was to joining Manchester City during the summer transfer window.
The Last Year For Cody Gakpo
The Reds had a poor season last time round, especially off the back of winning the Premier League title with a month to spare; it was quite the collapse in quality, consistency and mentality.
Now, there were, of course, major obstacles that the team had to overcome, such as the tragic loss of their teammate and friend Diogo Jota, just weeks after many of them attended his wedding.
Then, on a more personal side, Cody Gakpo and his partner Noa van der Bij lost their baby boy during pregnancy, something that will have obviously impacted the couple greatly, and Gakpo highlighted that.
"I don’t know if you want to go there because it doesn’t make any sense now to speak about this. But it was a difficult summer for me and my family, and everything surrounding football and life.
"I just let it come and it ended how it ended. I cannot choose. So then I have to just try to do what I’m good at, and that’s playing football. I can be very worried about everything that could happen, or that didn’t happen, or whatever, but that wouldn’t help the situation.
"It’s a very long story. The summer was very tough regarding everything. So I just let everything be and see how it came and it worked out in this way."
Gakpo would then go on to become a scapegoat for LFC's bad performances almost every week, with the abuse he received from fans becoming more and more personal and violent, particularly online.
Reuters/Jay BiggerstaffAnd while the Dutch winger has admitted himself, he did not perform to the standards that should be set by every Liverpool player last season, nor did anyone throughout the entire squad.
"I don’t know, because if you are at a big club like Liverpool, you need to perform. I don’t want to speak about somebody else or other players but, me, I know I could do much better than I did last year.
"I don’t know, because if you are at a big club like Liverpool, you need to perform. I don’t want to speak about somebody else or other players but, me, I know I could do much better than I did last year."
Ultimately, the entire club and everyone in it was responsible for last season's failings, not one player or individual, and it was up to every single person at the club to improve greatly this campaign, and if there is anyone who is the prime example of that, it is Cody Gakpo.
The forward has begun this season in exceptional form under new manager Andoni Iraola, registering a goal and three assists in the opening five Premier League games of the season, looking like a completely refreshed, hungry and energised player, poised to prove people wrong this season.
REUTERS/Scott HeppellHis Failed Summer Move To Manchester City
Amid a summer of changes, with a new manager, new ideas and a new philosophy, there were many who doubted how Gakpo would fit into this new era of football at Anfield.
Iraola came to the club with a reputation for playing high-intensity, attacking football, which requires quick, dynamic and, importantly, versatile wingers who are able to play on both the left and right wing.
This was something that Cody Gakpo was seen as not having in his footballing locker, with him featuring either on the left wing or as a central striker across his career, but not as a right winger.
And with the departure of Mohamed Salah in the summer, the club were on the hunt very early on for additions in those wide areas, leading many to believe a summer exit was on the cards for Gakpo.
REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El GhanyA move to Manchester City came the closest to completion, but in the closing days of the window, Liverpool pulled the plug on the deal, as they couldn't bring in an adequate replacement for the fee that they wanted.
"Spot on."
The winger could have let this failed move go to his head and affect his on-the-pitch performances, but every time he has played, he has looked like the top winger he was the season before last.
REUTERS/Piroschka Van De WouwIn a new role on the right wing as well, he has quickly gone from a player fans were happy to see the back of to one of the most important elements of the Merseyside outfit's success so far.
Comment Below: Is Cody Gakpo Liverpool's Most Important Forward At The Moment, And Was The Criticism Of Him Last Season Unfair?
