Cody Gakpo is starting to show why Liverpool should consider cashing in on Barcelona target Luis Diaz

After initially looking like Liverpool's new Roberto Firmino, Gakpo became a polarising player in the fans' eyes last season. Former defender Jamie Carragher even got himself embroiled in a rather ugly online spat with a fellow supporter after claiming that Gakpo "plays like the game is in slow motion".

The insinuation was that the former PSV star wasn't just lacking in pace, but also urgency, and there were definitely times when Gakpo came off the bench during the second half of the 2023-24 campaign and failed to play with the kind of drive and determination that one would expect from a substitute hoping to reclaim a starting spot.

Klopp explained, though, that it was a question of confidence rather than motivation, admitting that Gakpo had suffered because of his decision to try to play him in midfield earlier in the season.

"The offensive part of that role he can definitely play, but with the defensive things which he was not used to, that cost him a bit of confidence in moments, you could see that," the former Reds boss told reporters in February.

"The boy came here from PSV and was flying from day one pretty much and then, all of a sudden, you saw, okay that's now not exactly the same. These kinds of things happen. If you ask Cody he would not say it's the best season of his life, but we all know how good a player he is and he's always a threat."

The turning point came in March, during a sit-down between player and manager, with Klopp telling Gakpo that he had essentially misunderstood what was being asked of him.

"When you’re trying something you actually don’t have to, you lose the rest of your game a little bit," Klopp said in May. "By stopping that, you can be yourself immediately again. It’s crazy because I think in the very next game, Cody came on and looked completely different."

The net result was Gakpo finishing the season far better than many of his team-mates. However, while the mental aspect was obviously key, it was noticeable during the final few weeks of the campaign that Gakpo was doing most of his best work on the left-hand side.

Technically, he was still leading the line, having reclaimed the central attacking berth from the increasingly wasteful Nunez, but he was often drifting towards - or starting from - wide positions. The feeling that Gakpo would be better deployed as a winger going forward only intensified after watching him in action for Netherlands in their Euro 2024 opener against Poland last weekend.

Gakpo's influence may have faded late on, but for the 81 minutes he was on the field in Hamburg, he was the game's most dangerous attacker and a worthy recipient of the Man of the Match award. As well as scoring his country's equaliser, he created two clear chances, won more duels than any other player (15) and completed all five of his dribbles.

Gakpo has stated in the past that he doesn't have a preference in terms of where he plays. "In the last three seasons, I’ve mostly played on the left, but during the World Cup, I also played more in the middle, as a No.10," he told UEFA last September. "I think it’s just important that I play."

However, it's becoming increasingly clear that he's more comfortable and more effective on the flank. Of course, if Slot were to decide to put Gakpo on the left, that immediately raises the question: where will Diaz play? And the answer could be Paris or Barcelona.

On the face of it, selling Diaz doesn't make much sense. Few players have ever made as instantaneous an impact at Anfield as the likeable Colombian and he's been pretty much a certain starter for two years now. Indeed, he's often Liverpool's liveliest player. Whereas Salah and Nunez both suffered dramatic dips in form during the Premier League title run-in, Diaz continued to cause opponents all sorts of problems.

Nonetheless, he didn't score a single goal in Liverpool's final seven games, and contributed just one assist, which is why there have long been doubts over his end product.

He's easily the best dribbler at the club and Slot has made great use of such players in the past, but it doesn't reflect well on Diaz that despite starting 10 more games than Gakpo last season, and seeing six more minutes of action in all competitions, he finished with fewer goals (13-16), assists (5-6) and big chances created (6-10), and also had a lower dribbling success rate (53.6% - 59.5%). Managing just seven successful crosses all season long isn't a great look for an elite-level winger, either.

Obviously, Diaz's campaign was interrupted by the horrific kidnapping case involving his father, but he's yet to actually rack up big numbers since arriving at Anfield, even though there have been several big performances, and often in big games too.

Consequently, if a big offer were to arrive this summer (Barcelona are seriously strapped for cash but reportedly remain keen, while Paris Saint-Germain are looking for a new left winger following Kylian Mbappe's move to Real Madrid), it would be a surprise if Edwards and Hughes do not give it serious thought.

Diaz may be open to moving, too. He's repeatedly insisted that he's happy at Liverpool, and immensely grateful for the way in which he's been treated and supported during his time on Merseyside, but it feels significant that his father seems to keep talking up a transfer, and particularly to Spain.

Of course, much could depend on Slot and how he wants to play. He could well view Diaz as an integral part of his attack - which would be wholly understandable, given it still feels as if the 27-year-old is capable of reaching another level of efficacy.

However, his sale could free up funds to strengthen elsewhere. After all, it's not as if Liverpool lack options on the left wing. Both Jota and Nunez have played there in the past, while Gakpo is doing so right now for the Netherlands - and quite impressively, too.

So, while Slot has a lot of big decisions to make between now and the start of the season, by the end of the Euros, he might have already made his mind up on what to do with his fellow Dutchman.