'I am aware' - Liverpool star gives honest response after criticism from Jamie Carragher and Chris Sutton

Cody Gakpo has insisted that he's not concerned by the Liverpool flak he's faced.

The forward moved to the Reds for an initial fee of £37 million from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023. He enjoyed an encouraging first few months at Anfield as he helped Jurgen Klopp's side secure an unlikely fifth-place finish in the Premier League.

But Gakpo's first full campaign on Merseyside hasn't quite hit the same heights, though. He's scored 13 times in 42 appearances but has largely been used as a substitute and just five of his goals have been in the league.

The 24-year-old's performance off the bench in Liverpool's 3-2 loss against Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals led to scrutiny from sections of supporters and pundits. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher claimed that Gakpo played like the games was in 'slow motion' while ex-Blackburn and Norwich striker Chris Sutton said that it looked like the Dutchman 'didn’t have his boots on the right feet'.

Gakpo featured in both of the Netherlands' matches during the international break - a 1-0 win over Scotland and 2-1 loss against Germany. And speaking to Voetbal International (via the Liverpool Echo), he stressed he working hard to make improvements to his games and isn't bothered about the detractors.

“I personally wasn't that concerned," said Gakpo. "I am aware of the situations that have occurred and that are occurring and the expectations. I am someone who always looks at, what can I do better and how can I develop myself? That is still the case today.

“There are things that are going well and things that are not going so well that I have to develop that can be developed and I am fully engaged in that, and I am not really concerned with whether that transition has been successful anymore."