[article]Cody Gakpo is keenly looking forward to playing at centre forward for the Netherlands in this week’s Nations League finals after being thrust into the position over the last months at Liverpool, and with Dutch first choice Memphis Depay ruled out.
Gakpo, 24, built his reputation as a left winger at PSV Eindhoven but was switched to striker after moving to Liverpool in January.
"Now that I'm playing at Liverpool I think it's a nice position," he told reporters on Sunday as the Netherlands prepared for the four-nation tournament. They face Croatia in Rotterdam on Wednesday in the first semi-final.
With Depay sidelined through injury, Gakpo is expected to lead the line for the hosts.
"I have become convinced that being a striker suits me," said Gakpo, adding that several coaches had previously tried to convince him to make the switch but he had resisted.
"Guus Hiddink was the first. He spent a while at PSV as a sounding board, saw me play and said: 'You have to become a striker or a false No. 9’. I didn't want to believe it then. And then when Roger Schmidt said the same thing later at PSV when he was coach, I was even more stubborn. It felt good on the left flank.
“But at the last World Cup I was already more central on the field and at Liverpool permanently in the past six months. It’s been good. I'm excited now to get better in the position in the near future, for the club as well as the national team.”
Jurgen Klopp’s decision to shift Gakpo was initially met with criticism from Dutch pundits, who felt the Liverpool manager would not be able to get the best out of him.
“We play with two wingers who stay high and a striker who can also lower himself to participate in midfield. Klopp saw me doing that, he said after my arrival in January. And now I do too,” Gakpo added. “With us you have Mo Salah on the right flank, he has shown it at the top level for many years. I would rather see him as the ‘leader’ in our attack. I don’t think status is that important anyway. I want to help the team I play in. And I now enjoy doing that from this position.”
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