Cody Gakpo fires dig at Arne Slot as Premier League side prepare 'important bid' for Liverpool star

Cody Gakpo appears to have fired shots at former Liverpool boss Arne Slot after his impressive performance in the World Cup.

In what was one of the most exciting matches of the 2026 World Cup so far, the Netherlands all but confirmed their place in the knockout stages with a 5-1 win over Sweden.

Sunderland's Brian Brobbey and Liverpool's Gakpo scored two goals each in the dominant win, with West Ham's Crysencio Summerville coming off the bench to score a fifth for Ronald Koeman's side.

Following the match, Gakpo was named the FIFA Man of the Match following his two goals and an assist for the opening goal during the victory.

The goals took the 27-year-old's tally for his national team up to 23 in 52 appearances, with Gakpo proving on several occasions that he can perform on the international stage.

After what was a disappointing season for Liverpool, Gakpo's performances at the World Cup this summer raised questions as to what caused such a sudden shift in form.

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During the 2025/26 season, Gakpo scored just nine goals in 52 games and was regularly criticised by fans who called on former manager Slot to drop the Dutchman from Liverpool's starting lineup.

When asked to explain why he's been able to perform much better at the World Cup compared to his season for Liverpool, Gakpo seemed to aim a subtle dig at Slot, stating he has more 'freedom' with his national team.

“It’s a little bit different,” Gakpo said.

“How I play here, where the coach wants me to be, the freedom that I have than at the club. That’s it basically."

Throughout Slot's second season in charge at Anfield, the Liverpool boss was criticised for his style of play, with many fans frustrated by the lack of excitement and goal-scoring threat.

And Gakpo's comments appear to suggest that this feeling was, at least for some players, shared in the dressing room.

Premier League rivals prepare 'important bid' for Cody Gakpo

This perhaps explains recent reports that Gakpo is eager to leave Liverpool this summer, with recent reports suggesting that Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to offer the winger a lucrative deal to secure his signature,

As reported by Nicolò Schira, Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi is eager to sign Gakpo this summer and is willing to go big in order to make the deal happen.

The report claims that the London club are ready to submit an 'important bid' for Gakpo, who will be offered a five-year deal keeping him at the club until the summer of 2031.

Although the Dutchman is yet to accept any offer from Spurs, further reports have added that he is considering the move after it became clear that he would become a key player at the club, something which may not be the case at Liverpool following the moves for Munoz and Diomande.