KEY POINTS
- Cody Gakpo has a contract with PSV until 2026
- He has netted three goals for Netherlands in the World Cup
- The Dutch side will face Argentina in the quarters
Manchester United may have an edge in the race to sign PSV winger Cody Gakpo ahead of the January window.
Gakpo has a contract with PSV until 2026, but the Netherlands attacker has been linked with a move away from the club for a while now. Even last summer, when clubs including Manchester United were interested in signing Gakpo, no move materialized and the 23-year-old forward ended up staying at PSV.
In a recent interview, Gakpo confirmed he never held talks with Manchester United but would consider the option if the Red Devils get in touch with him in the coming months. Gakpo, who had a great season with PSV in 2021-22, scored 21 goals and 15 assists in 47 matches in all competitions. Following this, he was contacted by a number of clubs in the summer market, including Premier League side Leeds United.
“That was a tough period. I learned from that. I’m going to do it differently. What comes, that comes. Suppose you want to go from RKC Waalwijk to PSV, but that club is not coming. Then you can panic,” Gakpo told Dutch outlet NRC.
“I thought about Manchester United, but when that didn’t happen, I couldn’t remember. And I started to doubt. Leeds did come. Should I go there? Now I wait everything. I haven’t heard from Manchester United yet. When they come, I’ll think about it. I also seek the help of God in these decisions,” the PSV forward added.
The Dutch playmaker was initially known for his skills on the flank but his game evolved under Netherlands head coach Louis van Gaal. Gakpo has netted three goals in the ongoing World Cup in Qatar and is the joint second leading scorer in the tournament as the Men in Orange have qualified for the quarter-final.
With Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure, Manchester United will be in the market in January for a forward and Gakpo is reportedly on their radar. The Dutch player could cost them around $61 million.
Gakpo will be key for the Netherlands ahead of their big quarter-final clash against Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Saturday. He entered the World Cup on the back of an excellent run with PSV, scoring 13 goals and assisting 17 in 24 matches.
