Cody Gakpo transfer latest: Star puts Man Utd on shortlist of five clubs as Phil Hay delivers brutal end to Leeds chase
The Cody Gakpo transfer chase appears to be that little bit clearer with the player seemingly having drawn up a list of five clubs he would like to join – and with Leeds United now emphatically ruled out of the equation.
The PSV winger is enjoying an incredible season once again. Fresh after scoring 21 goals and laying on 15 assists last term, Gakpo has now seemingly taken his game to a whole new level. Indeed, he already has 16 goals and 10 assists this season from just 16 appearances this time around.
And it all means the reigning Eredivisie Player of the Year is a man in enormous demand as the January transfer window edges that bit closer.
To that end, it’s little surprise to see interest in Gakpo mounting. He was close to agreeing a move to Manchester United over the summer, having agreed personal terms with the Red Devils. However, with United eventually making headway with a deal for top target Antony, a prospective move for Gakpo was put on ice.
That allowed Leeds to emerge into the picture with Victor Orta making a late summer dash for his signature. Sadly for Leeds and Orta, the Spaniard left Eindhoven empty handed; their ambitious late play falling short.
Leeds’ failure to land Gakpo was explained here by sporting director Marcel Brands. And it appears only the way the deal was structured prevented the signing going through for the Whites.
Nonetheless, they remain on his trail and those hopes were giving a serious push forward over the weekend.
However, that hope has quickly since been dashed, with Fabrizio Romano handing Leeds a brutal reality check.
Phil Hay insists Leeds are out of Cody Gakpo transfer running
With Leeds’ hopes seemingly on the wane, Phil Hay, of The Athletic, has since delivered his own telling update.
He claims that while Leeds remain keen, Gakpo is moving well out of their sphere.
“I’ve been chatting to somebody about him last week and I think the feeling is more and more that he’s gravitating towards the type of club that you thought he would gravitate towards if he had a good season and if he had a good World Cup,” he said on the Phil Hay Show podcast.
“He’s done that classic thing of remaining where he was. Teams who went for him not signing him – Leeds included – and then his form just exploding; he’s had a really strong start to the season.
“And it’s not that Leeds aren’t still interested in him, it’s not that Leeds wouldn’t love to take him, it’s not that they’re not still talking about it. But there just is a general feeling that it’s going to be somewhere else [he goes].
“I think we said that straight after the transfer window closed, that if it was a good season for him, then it was hard to see how Leeds were going to stay in the running.”
Gakpo has a shortlist of five clubs – including Man Utd
The Cody Gakpo transfer chase is likely to heat up with the January window opening in just 81 days.
And while a move away from PSV looks more likely next summer, the player is reportedly keeping an open mind on a potential January exit.
Indeed, the 23-year-old has reportedly shortlisted five clubs he can see himself playing for. And summer suitors Manchester United do remain in the mix. That’s despite uncertainty whether they have the consistency to finish in the top four.
That’s according to Florian Plettenberg, who has revealed the five clubs Gakpo sees himself at.
The respected German journalist tweeted: “News #Gakpo: Been told that there is no agreement with #LUFC at this stage. Leeds United is highly interested but the player would like to make a step to a bigger club like #MUFC, #MCFC, Real, Barcelona or FC Bayern. A transfer in winter is not excluded.”
With the exception of the Red Devils, the other four sides are currently able to offer Champions League football. Despite that, the Red Devils do still remain in Gakpo’s thinking as reports of a 2023 transfer gather pace.
READ MORE
