Cody Gapko reveals name of Liverpool player who convinced him to snub Manchester United and join the Reds

Cody Gakpo revealed that he was persuaded to join the Reds by Holland teammate Virgil van Dijk.

As he completed his transfer from PSV Eindhoven for an initial fee of £37 million, Cody Gakpo has made it clear that Virgil van Dijk played a significant role in persuading him to join Liverpool.

The 23-year-old was seen speaking to Virgil Van Dijk shortly after completing his medical at the AXA training center. 

On Wednesday, Gakpo passed his medical, and once he gets his work permit, he will become a Liverpool player. 

However, he was quick to commend Van Dijk, a Liverpool defensive powerhouse and fellow Holland international who had arrived at the club's AXA training center to congratulate him.

The 23-year-old from Eindhoven has signed a contract for five and a half years.

‘We spoke a lot over the phone [in] the last days,’ said Gakpo, who will wear the number 18 shirt that was once the property of Michael Owen and his compatriot Dirk Kuyt. 

‘What he told me was that this is the right move for me to make and for me to develop and to become a better player, that the club is a really big and massive club but also like a real family – I think that’s also very important for me because I’m a family guy. He said only good things.'

Recall that Gakpo was outstanding for Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He scored three goals for his national team at the FIFA competition. 

Gakpo, who has signed a contract for five and a half years, could make his Brentford debut on Monday. 

‘At the moment I was calling [in] with the coach, he came into the office of the coach and then he saw me and we chatted a little bit,’ Gakpo told Liverpoolfc.com. ‘I’m also happy that he’s here, so he can help me with some stuff. I’m really grateful to be here.

‘I’m really looking forward to playing at Anfield. I heard a lot of great stories about the stadium, about the atmosphere. I cannot wait.

‘My aim is to win as many prizes as we can as a team, to perform well, to show the world what we can do as a team and what I can do as a player. And personally, just to keep developing and become a better player every season.’