Cody Gakpo reveals how close he was to joining Man Utd
Karan Tejwani
- 2 Sept 2022 11:50 BST
- 3 min read
Cody Gakpo was of interest to several clubs in England over the summer, and he has revealed how close he was to joining Manchester United this year.
Gakpo was rumoured to join Manchester United, but a move never materialized as the Red Devils signed Antony from Ajax instead.
Erik ten Hag was believed to be an admirer of Gakpo, having seem him become the Dutch Footballer of the Year last season, but preferred signing Antony, who he had worked with at Ajax.
Now, Gakpo has spoken about the transfer rumours and revealed that he thought he was joining Manchester United until as recently as last week.
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Gakpo thought he was joining Man Utd
Speaking to PSV’s official media channels, Gakpo said: "Manchester United reported at the start of the window, but quietly. We were kind of waiting for that.
“Then it comes closer and closer and the signals become more positive. Then you think: OK, it could fall that way. Eventually that option faded a bit, only last week."
He added: "Until last week I thought I would go to Manchester United and then I have to choose another club in a week. Then it's not nice for PSV and not for myself either, because it all felt rushed."
Manchester United ended up signing Antony for a fee of about €100 million - €95 upfront and €5 million in future add-ons – in what was the biggest transfer fee paid out this summer.
Cody Gakpo will stay at PSV. 🚨⚪️ #DeadlineDay
Leeds agreed with player and offered more than Southampton but PSV rejected — and Van Gaal suggested player to stay until World Cup.
Been told Leeds are determined to try again in January. pic.twitter.com/Lm9YlbVAJv— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 1, 2022
Towards the end of the window, Gakpo was linked with a host of other Premier League clubs including Southampton, Leicester, Newcastle and Arsenal.
He was reportedly on his way to Leeds too, with a flight booked to Yorkshire, but decided to not get on the plane and stay on with the Eindhoven club instead.
Gakpo has had a positive start to the season with the Dutch side, contributing to them being on top of the Eredivisie, and should he continue in this vein, he will be on his way to the World Cup in Qatar with the Netherlands.
