Cody Gakpo has revealed the influence Virgil van Dijk had on his decision after completing a transfer to Liverpool.
Liverpool have reached an agreement to sign the forward from PSV Eindhoven, with Gakpo having signed a long-term contract at Anfield that will become official once the January transfer window opens.
The 23-year-old shone during the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign in Qatar and has revealed the discussions he had with national captain Van Dijk over a move to the Premier League.
“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 the club’s official website.
“We spoke a lot over the phone [in] the last days. 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. I’m also happy that he’s here, so he can help me with some stuff. I’m really grateful to be here.”
Gakpo admitted that Van Dijk’s presence at Liverpool was an influential factor in his decision and believes the Reds are the right club to continue his development.
“Yes, for sure, because he’s our captain, he’s a great personality, he’s a great player. What I said, he can help me a lot with some stuff. But the club itself is also a really big club and [it’s a] really nice achievement for me personally that there was interest from the club and, at the end, that I’m here.”
