Cody Gakpo is now close to signing a new Liverpool contract, according to a Dutch journalist, with his current deal expiring in 2028.Having signed for Liverpool midway through the 2022/23 season, Gakpo is reportedly set to sign his first improved contract on Merseyside.PSV Eindhoven journalist Rik Elfrink wrote for Eindhovens Dagblad that Gakpo “is close to a new contract” and “there’s a good chance he’ll sign a new contract soon.”This would make sense given he is 26 years old, approaching his prime years and is now the clear first-choice left winger for Arne Slot following Luis Diaz‘s departure.Elfrink explained that “Gakpo had options to move earlier this transfer window, but according to British sources, he is close to renewing his current contract.”Currently, the Dutchman earns a reported £120,000 per week, about the same as Federico Chiesa, who is just 18 months older and started 28 games fewer than Gakpo last season.Earlier in the summer, Gakpo was briefly linked to Bayern Munich, but the Bundesliga champions ended up signing teammate Diaz instead.At the time, BILD reporter Christian Falk suggested that Gakpo “could imagine signing a new contract at Liverpool” before adding that Bayern weren’t “quite sure yet whether they’re just being used as a pawn” in contract negotiations.It appears that was the case, and Gakpo, having started the Reds’ first two Premier League fixtures, is fully focused on retaining the Premier League title. At the moment, he has just Rio Ngumoha for competition on the left, but that could change if Alexander Isak were to sign.Should the Swede arrive at Anfield, Hugo Ekitike could be used out wide more often, with Isak the obvious option to play through the middle.Speaking about his compatriot, Slot, Gakpo said: “Obviously he’s trying to help me to develop myself in moments in the game, how to be smarter, how to be better, how to get yourself more in scoring positions and giving the decisive pass and everything like this.“He’s helping me a lot. The manager and the staff, they try to help everybody, and I think everybody can see a lot of players are developing well.”