Selling Cody Gakpo might have made sense for Liverpool before the season started. But not now

A well-respected agent with decades of experience suggested to The Athletic that the summer transfer window should be significantly shorter.

The deal-maker was answering questions for last year’s Agent Survey, and his hot take on how to improve the transfer system was to close trading before the season started. By doing so, it would avoid the awkward situation faced by Newcastle United, Brentford and Aston Villa in the opening weeks of 2025-26, when Alexander Isak, Yoane Wissa and Emiliano Martinez were either refusing to play or unavailable for selection because of the noise around their future.

A date change would also give players the chance to enjoy a full season at a new club, rather than enduring the strange opening two or three games of a campaign where many are left wondering what happens next.

Had it been introduced this season, then perhaps Ollie Watkins would still be seen in the same light by Aston Villa supporters as Ezri Konsa, and Unai Emery would have a striker to call on. Julian Alvarez may not have faced boos from Atletico Madrid supporters, either. Consider, too, the debate around Cody Gakpo.

The situation at Liverpool is clear. Liverpool would not want to sell Gakpo to Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, or any other club unless two attackers are signed in the next six days. With Bradley Barcola — Liverpool held key talks about him on Tuesday — and Yankuba Minteh on Liverpool’s radar, it still cannot be ruled out, but it’s going to take a serious swing to, first of all, get off the ground and then start to make sense.

Gakpo has had a good pre-season (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)

Without new arrivals, there’s no way Liverpool could even consider weakening their forward line further by parting ways with Gakpo, who has silenced some of his doubters since returning from the World Cup and scored in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United on Sunday.

Imagine going into the game on Saturday against Nottingham Forest without him. Yet how many Liverpool supporters would have been on board with the Dutchman leaving before a ball had been kicked?

Not that anyone is seriously suggesting this, but let’s say the deadline was moved even further back to before pre-season. There wouldn’t have been too many disappointed fans at that stage, either, given Gakpo’s failings last campaign.

As Liverpool’s season fizzled out towards the closing months of 2025-26, the misfiring forward was identified as the most disposable this summer. A few areas in his game drew particular criticism. Gakpo attempts the same move too often — the step inside to open up his body and shoot, often unsuccessfully, at goal — and in the process occasionally misses the left-back with an overlapping run. It felt like his form had dipped to a point where it could not be revived, and his exit would have made a lot of sense until the football started.

Now, though, he cannot be sold, because unless there’s a flurry of incoming activity, he’s too important to the make-up of this squad, especially without the injured Hugo Ekitike. There’s an argument that, even with the arrival of two new attackers, Gakpo is still important because of the versatility he provides. As Sir Alex Ferguson always made clear during his time at Manchester United, there was never a concern about having too many players who can score goals in the squad, and Gakpo has 33 goals in 128 Premier League games, which is not a bad return for a left-winger.

If his impressive form over the summer is still not enough to highlight his value, then potentially strengthening a rival is, of course, another factor. Although neither interested Premier League club has made formal contact with Liverpool, there’s still time for things to change and with multiple deals being discussed in the closing days, there are still so many ifs, buts and maybes.

It has been a wild summer — Manchester City have lost their Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri, Chelsea have signed two players born in 1990, Tottenham Hotspur are still spending heavily and Villa are painfully watching their most successful side for over 30 years slowly disintegrate.

Closing the window before the season starts wouldn’t solve everything, but it could have helped Barcola and his PSG team-mate Ibrahim Mbaye, another player of interest to Liverpool, who surely would have featured for their club by now.

Barcola has trained but not played for PSG this season (Lou Benoist/AFP via Getty Images)

Instead, both have missed the UEFA Super Cup final, the Trophee des Champions, and the Ligue 1 opener amid their uncertain futures. They may both move and make up for lost time, but it’s all a bit messy. As is the late dash for recruits at Liverpool, at least until there’s some clarity over what happens next.

Liverpool have known since March that Mohamed Salah was leaving and still there’s no right-sided replacement. On the opening day of the season, two left-sided wingers filled that role: first Rio Ngumoha and then Victor Munoz, both of whom have obvious qualities, but their talents are more evident on the opposite side.

Barcola also favours the left, but Minteh could solve the right-side shortage if a fee can be agreed. The potential of having so many left-sided options would admittedly make it easier to allow Gakpo to leave, but not at this stage. Not when he’s the biggest goal threat and not when other big-money signings have taken way longer than anticipated to settle in.

Liverpool need some stability up front, and despite last season’s troubles, it might just be Gakpo who provides that.