Liverpool news: Pundit hits back at Paul Merson after Cody Gakpo claim – ‘behind the scenes…’
Alan Hutton has claimed there is no way Liverpool signed Cody Gakpo just to stop Man United.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Tottenham and Aston Villa defender said the Gakpo deal was a “really good bit of business” from the Reds.
As quoted by the Metro (1 January), former Arsenal man Paul Merson claimed that the deal for the 23-year-old was a “stop Man United signing”.
Merson insisted that Jurgen Klopp’s side should have signed another midfielder and claimed that Gakpo won’t play.
The Merseysiders confirmed the signing of the Netherlands international from PSV Eindhoven last week (28 December).
The forward officially became a Liverpool player on Sunday (1 January) when the transfer window opened.
When asked if he thought the Reds signed Gakpo to stop United from completing a deal, Hutton told Football Insider: “I do not believe that at all.
“You are taking a top target off one of your rivals but I do not think for one minute that they just decided overnight that because United were going for a player they would go and get him.
“They would have been doing their work behind the scenes on them. Some of the comments that came out from ex-players and stuff, I did not get it.
“I think he is a great player. He has got the size, the skill, he can play on the left-hand side while [Luis] Diaz is out injured. He can play in a number of positions across the front so I think it is a really good bit of business.
“We will just need to wait and see how he fits in to the Liverpool set up.“
In other news, a pundit has cited Steven Bergwijn as Liverpool fans told ‘don’t get excited’ over Cody Gakpo arrival.