Fabrizio Romano provides detailed update on Man United link to Cody Gakpo
Cody Gakpo, in sparkling form at the World Cup, is attracting interest from Man United and Liverpool FC, says reporter
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano (Photo: Fabrizio Romano / YouTube)
Manchester United remain in contact with the agents of Cody Gakpo ahead of the January transfer window, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has been earning rave reviews for his performances for the Netherlands at the World Cup in Qatar, with Gakpo having scored once in each of his country’s three games at the tournament so far.
Gakpo has also been in top form for PSV Eindhoven so far this season, netting nine goals and making 12 assists in 14 league games for his club to help them up to third place in the Dutch league table.
According to Romano, Manchester United held an interest in landing Gakpo over the summer but then switched their focus to landing Antony from Ajax, before Leeds United and Southampton both expressed an interest in the player towards the end of the window.
However, the player ended up staying at PSV beyond the summer, a decision which Romano claims was partly influenced by advice from Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal.
Romano says that Manchester United continue to hold an interest in Gakpo and Liverpool FC have scouted him on more than one occasion in the past. However, the reporter says that no club has yet tabled a bid ahead of the January transfer window and it remains to be seen whether Gakpo will be on the move next month or in the summer.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said of Gakpo: “He’s doing absolutely fantastically in the World Cup. He’s scored in every single game and his numbers with PSV Eindhoven were already great. He’s scoring goals, he’s providing assists, he’s doing great in Europe and the Eredivisie.
“This player is special, and it’s not just about the goals but the approach he has to the game, how professional he is. He’s a very talented player but he’s also a very smart boy.”
Reporting on the player’s transfer situation, Romano continued: “So Cody Gakpo, the man who last summer was already on Manchester United’s list – they had more than one meeting with PSV Eindhoven to discuss Gakpo but then they decided to invest big money on Antony as their priority target. But Gakpo was already on Manchester United’s list.
“Then what happened? At the end of the August, in the final hours of the transfer market, Southampton and Leeds were in a battle to sign Gakpo, and Leeds were really one step away from signing him. Then, with a secret, private flight ready for Cody Gakpo on deadline day morning to fly to England and have his medical with Leeds, the deal was almost done but it collapsed.
“Louis van Gaal, the manager of the Dutch national team, called the player and told him to wait a bit, to stay at PSV, do the World Cup and then it will be time for him to move. At the end, Gakpo decided to stay and now we can see he’s doing incredibly with PSV and the Dutch national team.
“What happens now? Guys, as I already told you more than a month ago, Leeds tried again and Southampton too, but now it’s almost impossible for them to sign Cody Gakpo.
“It’s true that Liverpool FC have sent their scouts multiple times to follow Gakpo but at the moment there are no direct negotiations.
“The reality is that Manchester United are still in contact with the agents of Gakpo. They have plans to have new discussions with the agents of Gakpo – the relationship is fantastic and the agents are the same agents of Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, so this is why the relationship is great and they are working hard on this.
“But let’s see what Manchester United will decide to do on the price because in the summer PSV wanted a €50m package with add-ons included – but after this incredible World Cup, probably the price will be higher. We have to see if it would be a January or a summer move but this World Cup is helping the player to get his move in January.
Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano (Photo: Fabrizio Romano / YouTube / Screengrab)
“So let’s see if Man United will decide to invest big money on Gakpo or to wait a bit and then try again in the summer.
“But it’s not just Manchester United, I told you about Liverpool FC’s scouts, and there are also other English clubs following Gakpo and it’s true that also Real Madrid, multiple times have been following this player but at the moment there are no negotiations.
“Let me clarify – Man United or any other club, no one has made an official bid to PSV Eindhoven yet, so we have to wait to see what happens in the next weeks.”
Former Manchester United manager and current Netherlands boss Van Gaal has been understandably delighted by Gakpo’s form at the World Cup and feels that the player has all of the necessary ingredients to make it at the top level.
“Cody Gakpo is a young player who has only played for PSV for two or three years and he has always played to the left,” Van Gaal said at a news conference in Qatar this week.
“He didn’t want to play in the middle or as number ten, but he had to, and now he thinks I’m a good coach!
“Things may change, of course, but Cody Gakpo has everything it takes to become a big star. He has a wonderful personality because he is open to everything and everyone.”
Gakpo is only three goals shy of equalling his total tally from last season in the league for PSV, with the attacker having netted 12 goals and made 13 assists in 27 Eredivisie games last term.