Cody Gakpo has admitted that Liverpool will miss Jordan Henderson heading into the 2023/24 season.
Henderson recently completed a move to Al Ettifaq, with the Saudi Pro League club forking out £12m to acquire his services. The midfielder had been at Anfield for 12 years and held onto the captain’s armband since 2015 – an armband which has now officially been given to centre-back Virgil van Dijk.
While Gakpo only had six months alongside Henderson, he confessed to The Athletic that the Englishman’s departure will take its toll on him.
“Hendo was like a big brother,” Gakpo explained. “He was always asking me how I was, if where I was living was OK, did I need anything?
“He was a real captain, inside the field and outside the field, always there for everybody, a great personality. He’s an example of how a professional player has to be. I really looked up to him. I could learn a lot from him. I could have learned more, but that’s not possible anymore. A really great guy and a great footballer. As the coach said, he’s a legend and we will miss him.”
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Gakpo became a key player for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds following his move in January 2023, taking on a false nine role after largely playing out wide during his time at previous club PSV Eindhoven.
Asked about which position he prefers, the Netherlands international hinted that he prefers his role in the heart of the Reds attack.
“As the false No 9, I can drop a little bit into midfield, stay a bit deeper, look at situations, and start attacks,” he confirmed. “I don’t have to wait for an attack to come to me. To be that involved in games is nice.
“It’s difficult to say [what position I prefer], as it depends on the game and the opponent.
“I just like to be in a position where I can get on the ball a lot. I like to carry it from midfield to the attacking side and then hopefully score or assist. My preference? Just to play. You have to change some things tactically when you play different roles but you get used to it. It’s not that difficult.”
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