Cody Gakpo Seeks Liverpool Exit After Slot Sacking

Cody Gakpo’s Liverpool story looks to be hurtling towards an abrupt and bitter end.

The Dutch forward has submitted a transfer request to leave Anfield following the dismissal of Arne Slot, according to Dutch outlet Soccernews, in a move that underlines just how quickly the mood has turned on Merseyside.

From title catalyst to lightning rod

Gakpo arrived in January 2022 for an initial £37 million, a marquee signing expected to grow into a central figure in Liverpool’s next attacking era. Across 180 appearances he has produced 50 goals and 23 assists, a steady return that swelled notably last season.

Under Slot’s guidance, Gakpo delivered 15 goal contributions in the Premier League as Liverpool reclaimed the title, his versatility and work rate making him a trusted lieutenant for the then-new manager. Slot doubled down on that faith last year, backing the winger with a new contract worth £250,000 a week, running to June 2030.

This season, everything fractured.

Liverpool’s title defence fell apart, ending in a fifth-placed finish and a sense of drift. Slot paid with his job. The club turned to Andoni Iraola. The dressing room turned uncertain.

And Gakpo turned away.

A scapegoat walks toward the exit

As Liverpool’s performances dipped, Gakpo increasingly found himself singled out by sections of the fanbase. Many supporters questioned why Slot persisted with him while teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha sat on the fringes, the academy product becoming a symbol of the change they craved.

The criticism hardened. The patience thinned. For Gakpo, the connection with the stands frayed badly.

Soccernews report that the 25-year-old has now formally requested to leave because he “doesn’t not see a future at The Reds without Slot” – a pointed reflection of where his loyalties lay and how disillusioned he feels with the new landscape at Anfield.

Liverpool, for their part, are not expected to stand in his way.

Liverpool ready to cash in

TEAMtalk report that the club are open to Gakpo’s sale this summer and will not block his desire to move on. That stance holds even as Liverpool brace themselves for the confirmed departure of club icon Mohamed Salah, a double blow that tears out a sizeable chunk of their wide attacking threat.

Sources indicate that, despite the looming need for at least one high-calibre winger to replace Salah, Liverpool are still prepared to sanction Gakpo’s exit if a suitable offer lands on the table.

There will need to be serious money involved.

Gakpo is currently valued at €60 million (£52 million) by Transfermarkt, and Soccernews note that “a lot of payment will have to be made” to prise him away. Yet they also stress that a deal is “not impossible” – a phrase that will alert clubs across Europe.

One of them is already in position.

Atletico eye Gakpo as Griezmann successor

Atletico Madrid are reported to “have ears for a collaboration” with Gakpo as they look to reshape their attack. With Antoine Griezmann set to join MLS side Orlando City after the expiry of his contract with the La Liga club, Diego Simeone’s side need a new focal point in the final third.

Gakpo, with his blend of size, movement and tactical flexibility across the front line, fits that brief. For a club that has often thrived on reinventing forwards – from Griezmann to João Félix, from Diego Costa to Álvaro Morata – the Dutchman represents both a project and a statement.

Whether Atletico can match Liverpool’s financial expectations is another question, but the interest is real and the pathway looks clear: Griezmann out, Gakpo in, if the numbers align.

A summer of upheaval on Merseyside

The sense of churn at Liverpool has been building for months. In March, even before Salah’s exit was confirmed, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano predicted a major reset in wide areas.

“I think it will be a busy summer for Liverpool with wingers. It’s very clear they need to reinforce their wingers,” he said at the time. “The situation with Salah and Gakpo. In general, I think Liverpool need to add something fresh in that position.”

That “something fresh” now feels less like a tweak and more like a full-scale rebuild.

With Slot gone, Iraola stepping into a volatile environment, Salah leaving and Gakpo pushing to follow him out of the door, Liverpool’s attack is being ripped up in real time. The club that once boasted one of Europe’s most settled and feared front lines is bracing for a new, untested version.

For Gakpo, this is a break born of loyalty to a manager, frustration with his treatment and a belief that his future lies elsewhere.

For Liverpool, it is a test of how ruthlessly they can reshape their squad without losing their edge.

And for Atletico Madrid, it might be the chance to turn a disillusioned winger into their next attacking reference point – if they are willing to pay the price.