Liverpool to stun Man Utd as Romano reveals £50m winger signing is ‘just days away’ as Klopp pulls a fast one on Ten Hag

Liverpool are reportedly in ‘advanced’ talks with PSV Eindhoven to sign top Manchester United target Cody Gakpo in the January transfer window.

Gakpo, who scored three goals in five appearances at the World Cup for the Netherlands, nearly joined United in the summer and has continued to be heavily linked with a switch to Old Trafford ever since.

But in the last 48 hours Liverpool have stepped up the interest for the talented 23-year-old and are looking to pinch him from the grasp of their rivals, The Times reports.

Indeed, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has also given his take on the proposed transfer by tweeting that Gakpo ‘will travel to England in the next days to undergo medical tests and then sign the contract’. The initial fee is believed to be £37millio, rising to £50m.

A deal for Gakpo will bolster Jurgen Klopp’s attacking options with Luis Diaz ruled out until March, while Diogo Jota is also currently sidelined.

Speaking after Liverpool’s win at Aston Villa, Klopp didn’t appear to rule out the possibility of bringing in new players in January.

“We have two long-term injuries up front,” the Liverpool manager said. “Last January, Luis Diaz came in which was very helpful for that part of the season. Doing something similar this time? If it was a positive move, why not?”

Diaz will undergo knee surgery after he suffered a setback in his rehabilitation to an injury that was sustained in October.

Jota, meanwhile, remains out with a calf problem that sidelined him back in October.

Hammer blow to United as Liverpool pounce

Old Trafford has been viewed as the likely destination for Gakpo, who has 13 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for PSV this season.

But the report adds that the interest in Gakpo has prompted Klopp to act in a similar way they did last January when they snatched Luiz Diaz from the clutches of Tottenham.

Arsenal had also been linked with Gakpo, especially with Gabriel Jesus out for three months. However, it looks like Liverpool have stunned their Premier League rivals by swooping in.

For their part, PSV were hoping to keep the player until the summer but now appear resigned to losing him in the upcoming window.

“If I have the choice, I prefer the summer, but it can also be now, you know there comes a time when you can’t say, ‘no’,” PSV boss Ruud van Nistelrooy said.

“It is wonderful how he has showcased himself. I enjoyed watching him [at the World Cup], he deserves this because of how he has behaved, how he has continued to work and perform.

“I was able to help him from very close by and that makes me proud. I’ll give him his path when it comes.”

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