Manchester United have opened talks with PSV Eindhoven about signing Cody Gakpo.
United instigated their move during the week after learning that looming financial problems at PSV mean the Dutch club are prepared to cash in on the 23-year-old forward for less than £50million when the transfer window opens next month.
Erik ten Hag feels Gakpo’s arrival will bolster his bid to finish in the top-four after winning his battle of wills with Cristiano Ronaldo during the World Cup break. Gakpo will bring the hunger and aggression the United manager felt Ronaldo could no longer deliver at the age of 37.
Old Trafford bosses have been made aware of PSV’s need to sell and are aiming to drive through a deal for a player Ten Hag first targeted on his arrival at the club last summer.
Real Madrid, Arsenal and Newcastle are also circling Gakpo, who enhanced his reputation in Qatar by scoring in all three of Holland’s group games.
But United have stolen a march by making contact with PSV, and personal terms will not be an issue after Gakpo made it clear back in August that he was happy with what was on offer.
PSV were ready to do business for less than £40million before the summer transfer window closed. Both Leeds and Southampton also registered a strong interest in the Dutch footballer of the year when United dropped out of the running to use their budget to sign Brazilian winger Antony in an £86million deal.
Leeds even put a private plane on stand-by to take Gakpo to Yorkshire only for PSV sporting director John de Jong to block the sale at the 11th hour because he felt Eindhoven were selling on the cheap.
De Jong has since paid the price with his job - and the Eindhoven club’s money worries have continued to mount following their failure to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League.
Selling Gakpo will ease the threat of a financial meltdown at the end of the season. PSV’s chief financial officer Ton van Veen is now looking to get a deal sealed in January. Gakpo’s agent is Kees Voss, the Dutchman who also advises United boss Erik ten Hag.
The striker is happy to help prevent his hometown club from a crisis and would prefer a transfer to go through now rather than wait until the summer.
