It's easy to forget that Cody Gakpo only joined Liverpool in January earlier this year because of how seamlessly he fits into the team.

Despite arriving at a time of turmoil within the club, when Liverpool looked like an absolute shell of themselves, Gakpo shone in the darkness.

Initially deployed as a left-winger before being moved to the central position, it was there that he began playing his best football.

That hasn't been the case this season as the Netherlands international has been playing as a left-sided central midfielder due to Liverpool's issues in the middle of the park.

There are positives and negatives of playing the 24-year-old in that position which brings forth the question - Can Cody Gakpo be a long-term solution to Liverpool's midfield?

He Fits In The Position

Gakpo is blessed with a great touch and impressive dribbling ability that allows him to drive with the ball from midfield and link up to the attack building a seamless relationship with the forward line.

He and Dominik Szoboszlai are the only Liverpool players who can do this to a high level thanks to their tall frames and ability to dodge challenges.

Last season, Liverpool's midfield was criticised for being too static and playing it too safe, rarely attempting to play a pass forward instead playing it wide to the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson to be the creative players in the team.

With Gakpo, that's no longer an issue due to being a naturally attack-minded player, his first instinct is to go forward and look for an opportunity to attack the opposition and find a way to score a goal.

He's Too Careless With Possession

Gakpo being a forward in midfield with a previously mentioned attack-minded mentality is a double-edged sword.

In this Liverpool system, the midfielders are the controllers, the dictators of play and therefore must be incredibly efficient with possession.

Gakpo is more likely to play a risky pass rather than the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones because he's simply a forward playing as a midfielder.

That lack of balance could upset Liverpool's midfield and change the tide of games when the battle is won and lost in midfield.

While the likes of Jones may be less flashy on the ball, he continually has the ball ticking over with a small chance of turning it over to the possession which cannot be the same for the Dutchman.

While we may be less likely to see Gakpo in midfield from now on due to the signing of Ryan Gravenberch, it is something I think we'll see again.