Manchester United could land Gakpo for very little in January, while Liverpool ‘fear’ they’ll be priced out of a move for a top target.
CUT PRICE CODY
Cody Gakpo has been in very good form ever since his proposed summer move to Manchester United fell through, and the Red Devils may well have him to call upon from January.
“I was close to leaving, I spoke to Erik ten Hag a few times at Manchester United,” Gakpo told The Times earlier this month. But the deal fell through and the Dutch international has notched 13 goals and 14 assists since.
You would reasonably expect that sort of form to have increased Gakpo’s price, but De Telegraaf report that PSV Eindhoven will accept just £25m in Janary due to their financial difficulties.
Arsenal, presumably along with other top European clubs, will be attracted by such a cheap deal, but given Gakpo stated his disappointment at his move to Old Trafford falling through in the summer, Erik ten Hag’s side are thought to be in the driving seat.
YOURI POLE
The Gunners may lose out to United over Gakpo, but they’re in ‘pole position’ to land Youri Tielemans.
That’s according to Mirror, who claim Mikel Arteta remains keen on the Leicester City star, who will be available on a free transfer ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Tielemans currently earns £120,000 per week at Leicester, but Brendan Rodgers recently insisted the club do not need to move him on despite their ongoing financial troubles.
“It’s not something we are thinking of [selling Tielemans] and not anything the club have said we need to do,” Rodgers said. “We don’t want to be offloading our best players, that’s for sure. So there has been no hint or indication we need to generate money and move him on. But, of course, there’s a business side to the club that they will look at.”
But while Tielemans hasn’t pushed for the exit, he’s also stated his desire to be playing Champions League football and is therefore unlikely to turn down an approach from Arsenal.
BELLINGHAM ‘FEAR’
“Now is not the time for a major overhaul,” said Jurgen Klopp as his Liverpool side fell to their fourth Premier League defeat of the season and their first at home for 19 months. “We have to fight through and to fight for momentum, for confidence, for security, for all these things. You have to fight and that is what we do.”
The time for that overhaul, or at the very least a midfield signing, has come and gone.
Jude Bellingham is thought to be their top target but they now ‘fear’ they will be priced out of a move, according to Football Insider.
Owners FSG are particularly worried that a brilliant World Cup for Bellingham could push him out of their price range with his value already thought to be around £100m.
Manchester City and Real Madrid are both also thought to be keen and that’s not good news for the Reds.
