Cody Gakpo to Man Utd transfer is on a knife edge
Robin Bairner
- 17 Aug 2022 08:50 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester United’s hopes of landing Cody Gakpo took a blow on Tuesday as the winger’s PSV side secured a 2-2 draw with Rangers in the first leg of their Champions League playoff encounter.
Gakpo has been linked with a late move to Old Trafford in the summer window following the club’s failure to capture Antony from Ajax.
Any deal, though, likely rests of PSV failing to progress to the Champions League groups – a stage on which the Netherlands international winger has never properly had a chance to showcase his talents on before.
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However, PSV’s prospects of reaching that point in the competition were boosted thanks to a 2-2 draw at Ibrox.
Gakpo’s role in the game was minimal but ultimately decisive. Both of the Dutch side’s goals arrived from corners delivered by the Man Utd transfer target. The first came about following a botched clearance, but the second was a superb delivery that will have fans of the Premier League side salivating.
Nevertheless, with a reputation for failing to find his best level in big games in the Netherlands, Gakpo did little to allay such doubts in the Rangers fixture.
Gakpo on Man Utd transfer rumours
Manchester United have inevitably come up in interviews with Gakpo, but he has admitted that any deal may hinge on PSV’s success or failure in the Champions League.
Speaking after his side had eliminated Monaco in the third qualifying round to reach this juncture of the competition, he stated: “We must first focus on and try to make it to the Champions League. Then it is more likely that I will stay."
Gakpo has played only a handful of Champions League minutes previously, so there is a significant draw in remaining with PSV to tackle the competition properly given that there is no prospect of doing so at Old Trafford.
If a transfer is to take place, Man Utd must hope Rangers can upset PSV when the sides meet in Eindhoven on 24 August.
