Manchester United have serious plans of landing PSV Eindhoven star Cody Gakpo before the summer transfer deadline, Dutch outlet De Telegraaf report.
The Red Devils recently registered their first points of the new Premier League campaign with a stunning 2-1 win over arch-rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Despite the result, manager Erik ten Hag is pressing for attacking reinforcements, and it was revealed recently that the club want to sign both Antony and Gakpo.
The Red Devils are in constant negotiations with Ajax for the former, and it appears they will step up their interest in the latter after PSV’s Champions League play-off tonight.
PSV played out a 2-2 draw against Rangers on the road in the first leg last week, and they now have the chance to make the competition proper in front of their supporters.
Amidst this, it is reported that United have ‘serious plans’ of landing Gakpo from PSV before the window shuts and they will concretise their interest in the player in the next 24 hours or so.
Meanwhile, PSV and manager Ruud van Nisterooy remain hopeful of keeping Gakpo if they make the Champions League, but it is claimed that a €50m plus fee will be hard to refuse.
Gakpo has already given the green light to work under Ten Hag at United.
Man Utd look in a good position to sign Gakpo
United saw Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga excel against Liverpool, but Ten Hag will still want strong competition for places. He may want to rotate his players.
Antony and Gakpo would provide the much-needed depth and quality. Antony is a specialist right winger by trade while Gakpo has predominantly operated from the left wing in his career.
The arrival of the duo should keep Rashford and Sancho in particular on their toes, considering one or two indifferent performances could see them dropped from the starting line-up.
This is something that United lacked for most of the previous campaign. Neither player will come on the cheap, but the hierarchy need to back Ten Hag to get the club challenging for trophies again.
Antony looks on course to cost around €90m plus add-ons. Compared to him, Gakpo is much cheaper at €50m, but the 23-year-old is equally gifted and fared better than the Brazilian in the past season.
Both players will need some time to adapt to the Premier League, but they are gifted with pace and superb dribbling skills which should perfectly suit Ten Hag’s attacking brand of football.
The Dutch tactician has yet to get United playing in a similar style as Ajax, but he should make them tougher to beat in future as he brings in more players that are suited for his tactical system.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
