Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he doesn’t know if new Liverpool signing Cody Gakpo is 100 per cent fit right now.
The Dutchman has begun training and is in contention to make his Liverpool debut against Wolves tomorrow. But speaking in his pre-match press conference today, Klopp admitted that he’s not completely sure exactly how fit Gakpo is.
“It looks really good, looks really promising, he looks fit, that’s all good. Is he at 100 per cent fitness? I don’t know,” admitted the Liverpool boss.
“He trained with us now two days with the team. I think the session you could see were very intense for him because it’s different. Everything that’s new you feel it a bit more.”
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesGakpo looking to provide immediate impact
Whether to throw Gakpo in tomorrow will be a difficult decision for Klopp to make.
With so many injuries in forward areas, there will be a big temptation to get him on the pitch. This being a cup game, there is also perhaps a little less pressure on the result, too.
In that respect, it might be a good time to give Gakpo his first minutes.
But on the flip side, he hasn’t played for a pretty long time. His last minutes came almost a month ago – on December 9th for the Netherlands against Argentina.
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Having not returned to training with PSV, he might have been a little short of fitness upon arriving at the AXA Training Centre.
We know how intense sessions can be under Klopp. As a result, it might be a few weeks until Gakpo is fully up to speed.
But, it all comes back to availability. Had Liverpool been able to call upon Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino at the moment, then maybe Gakpo could have the luxury of time to bed in.
As it is, Liverpool are really counting on him to have an immediate impact. Just how immediate that will be, we will find out tomorrow.
Source: rousingthekop.com
