Club registers interest
Manchester United could be again looking at the Eredivisie to bolster their attack. Their latest target is PSV winger Cody Gakpo. The Times reported that the Red Devils are interested in the 23-year-old left-winger. ESPN added that Gakpo’s representatives have already been made aware of United’s interest but that no formal offer to PSV has been made at this point. The US sports outlet also reported that PSV want in the region of €35 million for the Dutch winger.
Gakpo becomes the latest attacking talent targeted by Man United after the club lost out on signing Benjamin Šeško from Red Bull Salzburg—the Slovenian is headed to RB Leipzig instead—and has had no success negotiating a deal with Ajax for Brazilian winger Antony. United manager Erik ten Hag knows Gakpo well from his time in the Eredivisie. The 23-year-old broke into PSV’s first team in 2018 and has since catapulted his market value from €400,000 to €30 million.
Since breaking into the first team, Gakpo has managed 45 goals and 35 assists in 138 games for the club. Gakpo opened the Eredivisie season with two goals in PSV’s 4-1 win over Emmen. Gakpo also scored and provided an assist in PSV’s 5-3 victory over Ajax in the Johan Crujff Schaal—the Dutch equivalent of the Community Shield.
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For United poaching, a top player from PSV would not exactly be new territory. Three of PSV’s top 10 transfer sales have gone to the Red Devils. While Memphis Depay (for €34 million in 2015/16) has been generally regarded as a flop in the Premier League, Ruud van Nistelrooy (for €28.5 million in 2001/02) and Jaap Stam (for €17 million in 1999/00) have been considered a part of a winning tradition the club is now looking to recapture (overview).
Van Nistelrooy, in fact, is Gakpo’s current coach, perhaps an advantage in the upcoming negotiations between the two clubs. The 46-year-old head coach worked with Gakpo at the youth level and knows what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.
As for United, the Red Devils and both positive and negative experiences with Dutch forwards. The recent experience with Depay—he is among the club’s top ten signings—stands out negatively. But Van Nistelrooy and Robin van Persie, signed for €30.7 million from Arsenal in 2012, highlight that Depay could be an exception rather than the norm.
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