Liverpool, Arsenal ramp up pursuit of thrilling winger with transfer fee set to top £40m
Liverpool and Arsenal have reportedly stepped up interest in PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo, with Barcelona and Bayern Munich also eyeing a raid.
Arsenal are in the most need for a new attacker out of the four teams. They let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave for Barcelona in January, while Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are likely to leave as free agents.
Barcelona also added Ferran Torres from Manchester City and Adama Traore from Wolves earlier this year.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have added Luis Diaz to their ranks and Bayern are still enjoying Robert Lewandowski’s form.
Nevertheless, The Athletic has claimed that all four clubs have ‘accelerated their interest’ in Gakpo.
The 22-year-old first emerged as a PSV talent in the 2018/19 season. He played 16 Eredivisie games and made his Champions League debut in the group stages against Tottenham.
From there, he notched seven goals in each of the next two campaigns. Although, an ankle injury held his progress back last season.
This season, though, Gakpo already has eight Eredivisie goals and 13 assists from 20 games in the Dutch top flight.
He has also earned significant Europa League experience and made his senior Netherlands debut at Euro 2020.
While none of the four interested clubs have begun negotiations, The Athletic has claimed that all four continue to keep tabs on Gakpo.
The winger had transfer links with a move away from PSV in January. However, he signed a new contract until 2026 instead.
Still, that will not stop him leaving in the summer. The report adds that while Gakpo does not have a release clause in his deal, PSV will likely ask for up to £42million.
Gakpo earning rave PSV reviews
Gakpo’s PSV team-mate Armando Obispo recently raved about his colleague’s progress both domestically and on the international stage.
Obispo said: “Of course, that makes us very proud. To be honest, I did expect that he would become so good, but not that his development would go so fast that he could already show it at the Dutch national team.
“But we are on the pitch with him every day; we know what Cody can do.”
The winger is for now focusing on finishing the season with PSV on a high. They are into the Europa Conference League quarter-finals, where Leicester await.
Further down the line, he will want to make the Netherlands’ World Cup squad next season.
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