The winter transfer window will not officially open until Sunday, January 1, but we are already busy behind the scenes. It is from Liverpool that comes the first big blow on the transfer market. Dutch youngster Cody Gakpo, 23, will join the Reds in the coming days, his club PSV Eindhoven said in a statement. The amount of the transaction was not disclosed, but PSV general manager Marcel Blands spoke of a “record transfer”, which would be between 45 and 55 million euros.
Cody Gakpo is one of the revelations of this first part of the season. Author of 9 goals and 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie matches, the Dutch championship of which he is the top scorer, he was voted player of the month in the Netherlands twice, in September and October. He also scored three goals and delivered three assists in the Europa League. But it was especially during the World Cup in Qatar that he revealed himself to the world, with three goals in as many games during the group stage when the Netherlands were eliminated on penalties by the Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Long courted by Manchester United
Liverpool achieves a nice move, while the player had long been courted by his rival, Manchester United. He also seemed very close to signing with the Red Devils. But the owners of the club, the Glazers family, would have finally refused to spend so much… Liverpool therefore took the opportunity to secure their services at a price considered reasonable for a player of this potential.
Cody Gakpo, who should quickly pass his medical examination, could make his debut in his new colors on January 2, during a trip from the Reds, currently 6th in the Premier League, to Brentford (10th).