Manchester United already decided to make a substantial offer for Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in January.
According to the reliable Jason Burt of The Telegraph, United are determined to land their man in the winter transfer window and are preparing a €50m offer.
Various reports, and comments from Gakpo himself, indicated that the Red Devils came close to signing him for around €35m in the summer, but backed out at the last minute when forced to pay more than expected for Ajax’s Antony. .
But now that Cristiano Ronaldo has left United, the need for reinforcements up front has become even more urgent and Gakpo is seen as the ideal replacement for the Portuguese legend.
“Manchester United are planning a €50m (£43.1m) offer for Cody Gakpo once the January transfer window opens,” Burt wrote this afternoon.
“Ten Hag has prioritized bringing another striker in the window with United accepting that a new signing is needed after Ronaldo’s departure.
“They want to back the manager who has impressed since he arrived in the summer and not least with his handling of Ronaldo.
“Ten Hag lobbied hard for Antony, but now he wants United to pursue a deal for Gakpo.”
The Dutch international’s asking price has risen following his strong World Cup performances, but €50m could be enough to do so.
As Burt points out, PSV sporting director Marcel Brands has said the fee “must be a record (for PSV)”, meaning more than the €45m the club paid for Hirving Lozano in 2019.
United will want to finalize the deal at the start of the transfer window to make the player available for the club’s crucial games in January.
The reporter also notes that United also have a stake in Benfica’s Goncalo Ramos, but is aware that this deal is more likely to happen in June.
Las Águilas president Rui Costa has promised fans that Ramos will not be sold in January.
