Revealed: Chelsea wanted to sign Gakpo in January but couldn’t afford him

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 30 Dec 2022 08:10 GMT
• 3 min read

Liverpool didn’t only beat Manchester United to the signing of Cody Gakpo but also Chelsea.

That is according to journalist Rik Elfrink of the Eindhovens Dagblad, a major daily newspaper based in Eindhoven.

Elfrink reports that Chelsea had wanted to sign Gakpo in January but could not afford to match Liverpool’s offer and PSV’s asking price.

PROFILE: Who is Cody Gakpo?

The widely reported transfer fee totals €57 million after all add-ons have been reached.

However, Elfrink writes that the true cost of the operation is more than €45m initially plus a number of bonuses that will see PSV earn €50m pretty quickly and easily.

PSV were keen to earn this cash as quickly as possible to avoid the high inflation diluting the value of the sale. The Eindhoven club also needed to sell in order to help balance the books.

Liverpool officially announced the signing of Gakpo from PSV on Wednesday evening.

Initially, it had appeared as if the 23-year-old would be heading to Manchester United next month.

United agreed personal terms with the player in the summer but couldn’t get a deal over the line with PSV.

They were expected to complete the transfer in January 2023, only to see Liverpool jump in and all but close the deal on Boxing Day. The deal became official on December 28. Gakpo has signed a contract until 2028 at Liverpool.

Cody Gakpo's impressive 2022-23

Gakpo has 13 goals and 17 assists for PSV in all competitions this season, having played in just 24 matches.

He also impressed massively at the 2022 World Cup where he scored three goals and was his team’s key player as they reached the quarter finals where they lost on penalties to eventual winners Argentina.