Liverpool struggled for form and fluidity last season, and if not for a late-season turnaround, Jurgen Klopp's side would be confined to solely domestic football this year.
A purple patch in the business end of the campaign salvaged Europa League qualification at least, with a nine-match unbeaten run to close the play now enough to better a fifth-placed Premier League finish, ultimately meaning the Anfield club missed out on Champions League qualification.
That turnaround in results was fashioned through a tweak to the tactical system and a consequent return to the former attacking verve, and one of the reasons behind this mini-revival was the arrival of Cody Gakpo in the winter window, with the Netherlands star having just plundered three goals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – praised for "literally flying" by Fabrizio Romano.
He had also just blitzed into life in the Dutch Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven, posting a frankly ridiculous return of 13 goals and 17 assists from 24 matches before Klopp snapped him up.
How much did Liverpool pay for Cody Gakpo?
Coloured impressed by Gakpo's international escapades, as well as his feats in his homeland with the Boeren, Klopp decided to use Liverpool's January funding to sign the 23-year-old in a £35m transfer.
While this was an exciting acquisition, the Merseyside outfit's spluttering season begged for the introduction of a new, robust midfielder to orchestrate a return to the form that left the side within one week of winning an unprecedented quadruple, only to fall at the final hurdle of both the Premier League and Champions League.
Gakpo's signing came at a time when the likes of Manchester United held a vested interest, with manager Erik ten Hag eyeing up his compatriot and opening talks with his homeland outfit in December, mere days before the Reds acted incisively and swiped up their man.
It's fair to say that while supporters were probably justified in questioning the decision to sign a forward over a midfielder at the start of the year – albeit galvanised by the addition of a dynamic, top-class attacker – in hindsight it's probably a move that has paid off handsomely for Liverpool, especially due to the meteoric rise of his transfer value.
What is Cody Gakpo's market value now?
The esteemed Roberto Firmino left Anfield after eight years at the end of his contract this summer, leaving a lasting legacy and a place in the hearts of all Liverpool supporters after his cataclysmic role in crafting one of the finest modern strike forces in the game.
Gakpo, a multi-faceted and technically proficient forward with an elegance on the ball and quality across a range of roles in any given system, was ostensibly viewed as the perfect heir, repeating the initial £37m transfer of winger Luis Diaz one year prior, with Sadio Mane leaving at the end of that campaign.
Having scored seven goals and supplied three assists for Liverpool so far, Gakpo is now valued at £68m by CIES Football Observatory, almost two times the fee paid to snap up his services not one year ago.
Perhaps the most exciting part of Gakpo's signing, however, is that he is still so young and with a long, impressive career ahead of him, and while he arrived on English shores at a time of great strife at Liverpool, the waters look clearer this time around and he should be able to showcase his talents across the next year.
Why is Gakpo worth that much?
But what is it about the £120k-per-week gem that makes his playing style so alluring? Well, he has been hailed as "something special" by Romano and offers an all-encompassing skill set to distinguish him from the throngs of attackers across the globe.
As per FBref, Gakpo ranks among the top 17% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries, the top 14% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for tackles and the top 13% for interceptions per 90.
Legendary Dutch striker Robin van Persie joined the conversation surrounding the burgeoning talent and said: "He is not really an out-and-out striker. He can play as a No.10, he can play on the wing, or as a false striker, he can play in those four positions in front.
"He has a good physique, he is strong, fast, he can dribble. He is an all-round player."
Speaking of 'RVP', Gakpo's actually earned praise for the semblance between his game and the former Manchester United and Arsenal sensations.
Does Cody Gakpo play like Robin van Persie?
Gakpo's physique, technique and dynamism have drawn frequent comparisons with Robin van Persie, according to FIFA, and given the 6 foot 1 ace's penchant for big moments – as evidenced in Qatar – Liverpool will hope he can emulate the 40-year-old marksman's impact in the Premier League for an age at Anfield.
Responding to the comparisons made between him and the prolific Premier League icon, Gakpo said: “He’s a legendary player in the Netherlands and in the whole world.
“It’s an honour for me to be compared to him, but at the end of the day I’m my own player. I have to prove myself and do my best.”
Van Persie, who is his nation's record goalscorer with 50 strikes, was heralded by former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger for his all-encompassing ability, with the distinguished French manager saying he was "creative and not at the end of things."
He continued to state: "People ask why Robin plays at centre-forward, because he is not a centre-forward, but players like him have the intelligence to be in the right place at the right moment."
Not just a goalscorer, albeit he bagged 144 goals and supplied 67 assists from 280 Premier League outings, Van Persie was a feared forward, and given his success in gleaning the Premier League and FA Cup in England, Gakpo will hope to emulate his role model under Klopp's stewardship.