Here he is, this is Liverpool's perfect attacker to replace Cody Gakpo

Liverpool's perfect replacement for Cody Gakpo is a Belgian attacker.

It's been a bit of a mess of a summer for the Reds. Liverpool will deny it publicly and there's also still plenty of time to redeem themselves but there is no way they would have expected to be in the position they are in at the moment.

That is why it's a surprise that despite Liverpool's lack of investment, rumours of Cody Gakpo's departure still persist.

It looks like Liverpool would be open to selling the Dutchman, and Tottenham genuinely seem keen on him as well. Clearly Roberto De Zerbi sees Gakpo's Premier League experience as very valuable.

It's also important to note that out of Liverpool's current players, Gakpo has scored the most goals following Mo Salah's departure.

There's a really talented player hiding within Gakpo who wasn't able to flourish at the club last season and it is moot whether he really truly suits Liverpool's style of play under Andoni Iraola.

It's why Liverpool in all likelihood are probably not as desperate to convince him to stay. On top of that he is also on a long-term contract, which will make it difficult to move him from Anfield.

But Tottenham do not seem to be giving up.

That's probably partly due to the fact that Gakpo has not entirely rejected the idea of joining Spurs either. The allure of London and living in the capital with his young family will naturally be an attraction.

Even if Spurs have had to fight two relegation battles in the last couple of seasons, from a sporting perspective they are building a new team that is ready to challenge at a much higher level in the Premier League.

That's why they've already signed the likes of Andy Robertson and Sandro Tonali.

There will be more signings along the way but right now experience clearly seems to be a top priority and Liverpool will then argue that there are few wingers in the Premier League who are as talented and who have as impressive of a resume as Gakpo right now.

That might be enough for Tottenham to accelerate a move for his services.

But in the meantime, while Liverpool negotiate Gakpo's departure they will also need to find a replacement for the Dutchman as well, and it's going to be tricky to find the right person who suits that job description.

In essence, Liverpool need to find a versatile attacker, and there may only be one.

So, let us introduce you to Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who may be the perfect Gakpo replacement under Andoni Iraola.

Last season for Lille, Fernandez-Pardo has operated as a left-winger and as a centre-forward as well. He started 16 games through the middle and 13 games from the left. Occasionally he also played on the right.

At 21-years-old, he’s an interesting profile. He’s quite tall, standing at 6 ft 2 inches, and he has a strong muscular physique able to ride challenges and push past his opponents.

Over the course of the last season, he’s proven himself as one of the most effective dribblers in Ligue 1. Out of players who averaged at least five dribbles in the competition and played at least 2000 minutes, Fernandez-Pardo ranked fourth for dribble success rate (54%).

As well as being strong and being able to use his body well, Fernandez-Pardo is also quick. He can accelerate really fast for someone of his build and reach his top speed within the first few metres.

He isn't the most clinical yet. But 20 goal contributions in 51 Ligue 1 games is not bad either for a player of his age. Fernandez-Pardo is available this summer and on the market, which is why he's one to keep a close eye on.

He'd suit Iraola's direct style of play, he can play across the front three and he is someone Liverpool have admired for a long time.