Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has said that Cody Gakpo might have joined Liverpool too early.
Gakpo helped the Netherlands get to the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar by scoring three goals in five games.
He joined Liverpool in January from PSV Eindhoven. But in six games, he has failed to score.
"The level in England is higher than in the Netherlands, but they are also young boys, aren't they? Like (Ryan) Gravenberch going to Bayern (Munich) and not playing. Then that is difficult," Koeman said in a video on ex-footballer Andy van der Meyde's YouTube channel.
Former Everton manager Koeman, who is currently in charge of the Netherlands for a second time, stated that young Dutch players transitioning to higher-level leagues may find it challenging to adapt.
"You can see that, that he has ended up in a team that is not doing well. Then it becomes more difficult for him, as a new signing. You are tested right away. And if you don't score or you're not important and you don't win any matches, it's very difficult, especially for a young player. If that was someone aged 28 with experience, it would be different," he added.
The 23-year-old forward played for PSV in the Eredivisie for 14 games this season, scoring nine goals and assisting 12 others. Before joining the Merseyside club.
Koeman took over from Louis van Gaal after the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Between 2018 and 2020, Koeman was in charge of the Dutch national team, having previously coached Southampton and Everton in England.
In his first stint, Koeman, a defender who has 78 caps for his country, was appointed in February 2018, replacing Dick Advocaat, who had left following the team's failure to qualify for the World Cup in Russia that year.