Cody Gakpo expressed his desire to help lead Liverpool to the Champions League title in 2025-26 after the Reds’ Premier League triumph last season.
Gakpo played a starring role for Liverpool during their debut campaign under Arne Slot, netting 18 goals and providing six assists across all competitions.
Indeed, his 24-goal involvements was a total only bettered by Mohamed Salah (57) among Liverpool’s squad in 2024-25.
Liverpool clinched the title with a 5-1 victory over Tottenham on April 27, with Gakpo scoring the Reds’ third goal of the game at Anfield, having fallen behind to Dominic Solanke’s 12th-minute header.
“I thought this day just couldn’t go wrong. So, even when Tottenham scored, I think nobody on the pitch had a worried feeling or anything, because we knew we were going to seal the deal that day,” Gakpo recalled in an interview with Sky Sports.
“I think, because for a lot of players it was their first time and it being the biggest league in the world, it was very special, and an emotional day for everybody involved.”
But Gakpo still wants more. Liverpool stormed through the first round of the Champions League last season, finishing top of the league phase after winning seven of their eight matches.
However, they were beaten in the last 16 of the competition by eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain, who progressed on penalties after a 1-1 draw on aggregate.
It saw Liverpool eliminated from a major European knockout tie for the first time ever after winning the first leg away from home, progressing from their 30 straight such ties.
“I think we were all very proud at the time, still are {with} what we did last season, but it also gave us a lot of hunger that we wanted to do it again and again,” Gakpo added.
“We felt a little bit of frustration that we were knocked out of the Champions League, because then maybe we had something more special.”
And Gakpo plans to put that right this season. The Netherlands international scored twice in Liverpool’s second match of their pre-season double-header with Athletic Bilbao earlier this week.
The Reds have also been active in the transfer market this summer as they aim to fight on all fronts in 2025-26, and are quickly approaching a £300m spend.
Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman have all signed for Liverpool ahead of the new campaign, while Giorgio Mamardashvilli has now officially joined the club.
Gakpo himself has been linked with a move away from Anfield, with a reported switch to Bayern Munich mooted, though the 26-year-old plans on staying with Liverpool for years to come and cement his place as an integral part of their new-look squad.
“I hope to be around as long as possible,” Gakpo added.
“For everybody, when they feel at home in an environment, they are loved by the people in the club, and obviously by the fans, who are amazing at Liverpool.
“It gives you more energy and a desire to give them something back.
“We have a team that is still quite young in some positions, and hopefully we can stay together as long as possible and achieve something really beautiful.
“For a club like Liverpool, we have to aim high for the Champions League. That’s the highest prize in Europe that we can win – and that’s what we will fight for again next year.”
Gakpo is also aiming to succeed on the international stage with the Netherlands, with the 2026 World Cup beginning next season.
It was in 2022 in Qatar where Gakpo, then playing for PSV Eindhoven, announced himself for the Oranje, scoring in each of their first three group fixtures.
“That would be amazing,” Gakpo said on the prospect of winning the World Cup with the Netherlands. “That’s also a goal we all fight for.
“We have a lot of players now who are reaching top teams, and this only gives us more quality and depth in the squad. Hopefully it will bring us very far next summer.”
