Liverpool best player ‘dodged a bullet’ by avoiding Man City transfer nightmare

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has told the club’s best player this season he “dodged a bullet” by avoiding a transfer to Manchester City and the nightmare that might have followed.

City appear in danger, having been found guilty of hundreds of breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. They’re said to have been topping up sponsorship money with funding straight from their owners.

While they’ve appealed, adamant they’ve done nothing wrong, if their guilt is upheld, they could well be relegated from the Premier League, or even further.

Liverpool star Cody Gakpo might have got out lucky, as he was heavily linked with a move to City in the summer, with TEAMtalk revealing he was pursuing the transfer.

But it never came to fruition, and the Dutchman has been in stellar form at Anfield since then, with one goal and three assists to his name this season.

The end result is Gakpo currently ranks as Liverpool’s highest rated player on FotMob this term, with his average rating per game of 7.69 narrowly beating out Jeremy Jacquet (7.67).

He’s also been told by Reds legend Aldridge that he’s done well to avoid the nightmare at the Etihad.

He wrote in a column for the Daily Star: ‘Cody Gakpo could have easily joined Man City in the summer. We don’t know what they were telling all these players they were after, but it looks like he has dodged a bullet, hasn’t he?’

READ MORE: Liverpool reject claims that £26m star could leave after one game as FSG secure long-term fix for vital position

Man City players destined to leave

Indeed, a move to City might have been catastrophic, as the moment he got his feet under the table, Gakpo could have been looking for his next club.

There is a strong sense that the vast majority of the City squad will leave if they are relegated.

Aldridge feels some of the biggest names are already looking for the next clubs to land at.

He said: ‘All the City players’ agents now will be licking their lips. Because if City do go down, [Erling] Haaland won’t be playing in the lower divisions. Will these players they’ve got, all world-class players, want to drop down and play there?

‘Or will they move to Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG – get the same money as they get at City and go to a bigger club? That’s what the agents will be telling them, because they get more money by moving them on.

‘It’s more money by moving them on than giving them new contracts. So, the agents will be licking their lips looking at the situation if it arises. If they have to sell, Haaland’s the first one you’d want. I’d love him at Liverpool.

‘Everyone will want him. They’ve got some great players. If it comes to it, a lot of quality players will be pushing for transfers. But we’ve all just got to wait until that situation arises and watch it develop.’