PSV Eindhoven director of football Marcel Brands has confessed that Manchester United’s unsuccessful search for the talisman Cody Gakpo hampered him significantly ahead of the start of the Eredivisie season.
Brands, told Voetbal Primeur, “Cody had a difficult preparation with us because he talked to Manchester United.”
“They only arrived in mid-August and did not answer.”
“I even think Cody would not have left at the end of the transfer period if the right amount had been offered.”
“There was no offer that came close to the lower limit of what we agreed to with Cody.”
Cody himself previously gave an interview in which he confirmed that there was legitimate interest in him from the Red Devils.
He also said that if an offer had come from the 20-time English champions, he would have taken the plunge.
Several English clubs made last-ditch efforts to engage his services in the closing days of the transfer window, but to no avail.
The 23-year-old appears to have rediscovered his best form for the Dutch giants, showing United what they’ve been missing.
Gakpo has so far scored ten times and provided seven assists in 12.5 games for his club this season (match in progress at the time of writing).
He looks set to pick up where he left off last season, a campaign in which the Dutch international scored a whopping 21 goals and assisted 15 times in 47 games.
If he persists with his exhilarating form, he can force Erik ten Hag and United’s club bosses back to the negotiating table and get his desired move from Old Trafford.
