Liverpool Looking to Challenge Man United for PSV Forward Cody Gakpo

Cody Gakpo, Manchester United, Liverpool

Manchester United will be facing tough competition from Liverpool for signing Cody Gakpo, according to reports. The PSV Eindhoven star was targeted by the Manchester side in the last summer transfer window. However, a move fell through as United prioritised a move for former Ajax player Antony.

Liverpool let go of Sadio Mane, who joined Bayern Munich, having signed Luis Diaz to make up for it. The 25-year-old Colombian has had a confident start to his time at Liverpool. Nevertheless, the Reds don’t look like the team they were a year ago.

Moreover, it looks like the loss of Sadio Mane has impacted this Liverpool side more than it should have. Liverpool are currently 8th in the Premier League, which clearly shows that they have been struggling this season.

According to The Mirror, Liverpool have expressed interest in signing PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo and are looking to challenge Manchester United for the wideman’s signature. The Reds believe that the Dutchman could help them challenge Man City for top honours once again.

Moreover, as reported by ESPN via HITC, Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders has identified the 23-year-old as the ‘missing link’ in the Merseyside squad. Lijnders has a crucial say in the transfers of Liverpool. He was involved in the signing of Luis Diaz from FC Porto who became an instant favourite amongst the fans.

Nevertheless, Gakpo still remains on the radar of Manchester United. It will be difficult for United to keep a player like Gakpo away from the attention of other clubs. The Dutchman had his mind set on joining the English side but a deal falling through could have had some effect on the relationship between the player and Manchester United.

Cody Gakpo is the first player in top-flight European football to be directly involved in 30 goals in 2022/23:

◎ 23 appearances
◉ 13 goals
◉ 17 assists

A goal or assist every 62 minutes. 🤯pic.twitter.com/tKIQo3zF47 pic.twitter.com/isqVPERYuU

— Squawka (@Squawka) November 7, 2022

Manchester United aim to be more prolific in the final third. Gakpo’s presence in this United side might help Erik ten Hag to solve that issue. However, completing the transfer will not be easy considering the interest he has been attracting from all over Europe.

Should Manchester United Complete The Signing Of Cody Gakpo?

Considering the form of Cody Gakpo, it would make no sense at all for Manchester United to reject an opportunity to sign the Dutchman. He has already made 30 goal contributions this season while playing for PSV Eindhoven. The 23-year-old Dutchman has scored 13 goals while assisting another 17 for his club (stats via transfermarkt).

Although letting such a player go is a tough ask, but the case might be a bit different for United. The Red Devils currently have Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho who are both comfortable playing on the left flank. Meanwhile, they also have youngsters like Anthony Elanga and Alejandro Garnacho who have started their careers playing from the left wing.

Jadon Sancho has not quite lived up to the expectations since arriving from Borussia Dortmund. United have paid a hefty amount to secure the services of Sancho. Adding one more player to the party might increase competition but it may also lower the confidence of existing players.

Manchester United have other positions to focus on in the winter transfer window. Signing a right-back and a striker has been observed as the top priority by Ten Hag. The 23-year-old is not exactly a striker and might fail to deliver if constantly asked to play out of his favoured position.

Moreover, the Red Devils might also have to shell out a substantial amount of transfer fee once again to bring Cody Gakpo to the Theatre of Dreams.

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