Erik ten Hag frustrated with Manchester United after missing out on Cody Gakpo to Liverpool
Liverpool got the better of rivals Manchester United once again by snatching away their primary target Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven.
Gakpo was seen as Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag’s primary target to replace the departed Cristiano Ronaldo with the club from Manchester short of options up front.
All speculations led to Gakpo being the chosen one to replace the Portuguese Ace and his stock value rose after an impressive FIFA World Cup campaign with the Netherlands.
However, just as had previously with the transfers of Thiago Alcantara and Darwin Nunez, Liverpool intervened at the last minute and in a space of twenty-four hours, confirmed the signing of Gakpo from PSV.
It was a huge blow for United and according to ESPN, Ten Hag is frustrated that the club could not secure his signing. It was a surprise move to many as firstly, we were not linked heavily with the player while many had presumed that we would be looking at a midfielder rather than an attacker.
However, signing the 23-year-old Gakpo who was having an impressive season with PSV having scored 13 goals and provided 17 assists in meagre 24 appearances for a cut-price deal that could potentially rise to €50 million is good business.
More than that, it provides us with additional cover upfront considering Luis Diaz is out for a long duration and Diogo Jota has been constantly struggling with injuries all season. The Colombian could now only return in March, while the Portuguese international’s calf injury is expected to keep him out for a while as well.
Nunez is yet to find his feet and Gakpo’s arrival might actually be beneficial for the Uruguayan who had an impressive last season with SL Benfica while predominantly playing from the left channel. While Gakpo could also prefer the same, his World Cup outing showed he is more than capable of operating from the middle.
Hence, Nunez and Gakpo could create a fluid partnership where they can interchange positions in between the games and take the opposition by surprise.
More Liverpool News
- Liverpool considering contract options for Roberto Firmino
- Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo is keen on a move to Liverpool
- Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler talks about Darwin Nunez and his recent form
It was a delightful restart to the Premier League with a thumping 3-1 victory over Aston Villa which was followed by the sweet news of the transfer of Gakpo. The fact that we snatched him right under the noses of our rivals makes it all the way better.
