Cody Gakpo reveals admiration for Liverpool legend Dirk Kuyt ahead of Fenerbahce reunion

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has spoken about his admiration for former Reds striker Dirk Kuyt ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Fenerbahce in Istanbul.

Kuyt, who enjoyed a successful playing career with Liverpool and the Netherlands national team, is currently serving as interim head coach of the Turkish giants following his appointment last week.

Speaking at Liverpool’s pre-match press conference, Gakpo revealed that he followed Kuyt’s career and remembered several of his achievements, particularly his contributions to Dutch football.

“Of course [I followed him]. I think [he won] a lot of caps in the national team as well, had some big moments with the national team. Obviously he played at Liverpool and in Holland as well, he played at Feyenoord [and] I remember I think he scored a hat-trick in the game they became champions the last time [he played there]. I watched quite a bit of him,” Gakpo said.

Kuyt made 285 appearances for Liverpool between 2006 and 2012, scoring 71 goals and becoming a popular figure among supporters for his work rate and commitment.

The former Netherlands international also enjoyed a successful spell at Feyenoord, helping the Rotterdam club win the Eredivisie title in 2017. He famously scored a hat-trick against Heracles Almelo on the final day of the campaign to secure the championship.

Kuyt subsequently spent three seasons at Fenerbahce, where he won the Turkish Super Lig title.

His appointment as interim coach has added another interesting dimension to Wednesday’s encounter, with the Dutchman preparing to face his former club for the first time as a manager.

Liverpool head into the encounter in excellent European form, having won their opening three league-phase matches against Atletico Madrid, LASK and Villarreal.

The Reds will be targeting a fourth consecutive victory to maintain their perfect record and strengthen their chances of securing automatic qualification for the Champions League knockout stages.

For Kuyt, meanwhile, the meeting represents a special occasion as he prepares to face a club that played a significant role in his football career.