Manchester United have been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of World Cup phenom Cody Gakpo, after the player said that he “will think about” a move to Old Trafford.
What’s the word?
Gakpo, starring for PSV Eindhoven, has emerged as a piping hot commodity on the major market, with United reportedly eyeing a January move to clinch the star’s signature, according to The Sun.
And with Gakpo recently making revelations that he will consider a move to Old Trafford, Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag will be eagerly anticipating the opening of the winter window.
Speaking to Dutch outlet NRC, the 23-year-old said: “I wait for everything. I haven’t heard from Manchester United yet. When they come, I’ll think about it.”
The end for Martial
The Dutch sensation has been a massive hit at the World Cup in Qatar, scoring three goals and helping his side cruise towards the quarter-finals, where the nation awaits a seismic clash against Lionel Messi and Argentina.
The 13-cap ace, lauded as “something special” by transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, has recorded a rating of 7.63 in Qatar - the best in the Netherlands squad - and has complemented his three strikes with 2.3 key passes per outing and a defensive sheen that has yielded 1.5 tackles and 1.3 clearances per match.
It is this refined, rounded style that has left those surrounding him enamoured, and is a factor behind PSV’s decision to raise his transfer value to €75m (£65m).
For PSV this term, the forward has been in some of the hottest form in Europe, scoring 13 goals and assisting 17 more across just 24 appearances.
The prolific forward would take to life in Manchester like a duck in water, with his multi-faceted approach to his play and his ability to dazzle on the offensive front from multiple positions, with multiple tricks, with multiple routes to decimate defences.
His inclusion into the line-up could spell the end for the likes of Anthony Martial, who has been a peripheral figure at the Theatre of Dreams across recent years, being ushered out on loan to Sevilla last season and making just seven appearances this term, albeit largely down to injury.
Martial’s last fixture in the Premier League epitomises the woes that the forward has been beset with recently, recording a lowly rating of 6.0 as the centre-forward against Fulham, as per Sofascore, missing two big chances and conceding possession eight times.
Gakpo, it is felt, would not suffer from such difficulties, tapping into his innate knack for finding goals and assists and enhancing the collective offensive force with his dynamism.
With the Frenchman already struggling to cement his place in the Red Devils squad, placing Gakpo into the fray does not bode well at all, but football is a team game, and Martial’s misfortune only spells an ascension up the ranks for Manchester United.