Manchester United Transfer News: Erik Ten Hag Wants Cody Gakpo as an Alternative to Antony
Manchester United Transfer News: As Cristiano Ronaldo tantrums rage on, Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag has added Dutch footballer of the Year Cody Gakpo to his wanted list.
Ajax is demanding £80 million for Brazilian winger Antony. That’s why Ten Hag has turned his focus to highly regarded Dutch international Gakpo of PSV Eindhoven. Additionally expressing interest in the 23-year-old Gakpo, who would cost almost £40 million, are Leeds and Arsenal.
However, PSV won’t consider any bids until their fate in the Champions League is known. After a 1-1 tie in the first leg, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team will host Monaco in the third-round play-off on Tuesday night.
In the event that PSV wins, they will compete against either Rangers or Belgian club Union SG for a spot in the group stages, earning them £60 million. Gakpo has been compared to both Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie because he is a tall, graceful performer who transitioned from being a winger to a central striker.
Van Nistelrooy, a former United striker, collaborated with Gakpo in the PSV academy, where he was instrumental in his growth. Currently, in charge of the club’s first team, Van Nistelrooy would be devastated to lose the player who was selected as Holland’s top performer for the previous campaign.
Despite missing 12 games at the beginning of the season due to injury, Gakpo scored 21 goals in all competitions last season. Sidney and Duc, his two brothers, are also seasoned athletes.
Sidney, the oldest of the three at age 29, intends to work as his brother’s financial advisor after earning a business degree and retiring. The youngest, Duc, plays for PSV’s junior team while also pursuing his college education.
SEG, a prestigious firm that also counsels Pep Guardiola and Ten Hag, represents Gakpo. He’s already acknowledged how much he loves the Premier League.
“I found it extremely astonishing,” Gakpo said, referring to the years when Manchester United outperformed everyone in England and Europe. But England hosts so many fantastic names. Look at Man City and Liverpool.
All of them are loaded with talented athletes. Sometimes when they substitute, the player who comes on performs better than the one who leaves. That demonstrates the calibre of their squads.
“Ruud van Nistelrooy has been a fantastic coach for me,” he continued. With his knowledge gained throughout his time at Real Madrid and United, he has been instructing me. For a striker, there are many small aspects to consider. It includes where to position yourself and when to make runs.
“I don’t really want to make comparisons to Van Persie. My professional future is something I can only hope for. Furthermore, I can only hope that if I move abroad, I can play for a prestigious club. I’m aware that to succeed, I will need to put in a lot of effort.
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