Liverpool are among the clubs reliably linked with PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo, with it claimed they have held “serious conversations” over a move.
Gakpo, 22, has been in consistently impressive form since breaking into the PSV first team on a full-time basis two seasons ago, and has scored 16 goals and laid on 15 assists in 37 games so far this term.
That has, unsurprisingly, attracted interest from across, along with the Netherlands, with the forward receiving his first senior call-up for last summer’s Euros.
In January, Dutch publication Voetbal International claimed that both Liverpool and Man City had held “exploratory talks” with Gakpo with regards a possible move, despite the player extending his contract with PSV.
This has now been corroborated by The Athletic‘s David Ornstein, who reports that Gakpo could still leave Eindhoven this summer despite agreeing a new deal only two months ago.
Ornstein writes that though the contract does not include a release clause, “an understanding was formed to ensure that if suitable offers land this summer, PSV will cooperate.”
He adds that Liverpool, along with Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, have been prompted to “accelerate their interest” and hold “serious conversations about pushing for the Dutch attacker.”
There are yet to be any negotiations with PSV, though it is speculated that the Eredivisie club could seek a fee in the region of £35 million for their No. 11.
It is mooted that “various moving parts” could complicate the process at this stage, and in Liverpool’s case, that could include the future of Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool are believed to have reached an impasse in talks with Salah’s agent despite the Egyptian hoping to stay at Anfield, with the sticking point over any agreement being a major pay increase.
Salah, along with both Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, will enter the final year of his deal this summer, and an immediate decision will likely be made over at least one of the three.
Divock Origi is also due to depart on a free transfer, with his contract set to expire, while Jurgen Klopp has hinted that Takumi Minamino would be allowed to leave in search of regular first-team football.
As it stands, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota are the only senior forwards with a guaranteed long-term future on Merseyside, while there are high hopes for Kaide Gordon breaking through.
It is possible, then, that Gakpo is being considered among the options were Salah to force his exit this summer – though, at this stage, that still seems unlikely.
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