PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo had reached a personal agreement with Manchester United over the summer, but the Dutch international chose to stay with his Eredivisie team.
In the closing stages of the most recent transfer window, the 23-year-old was heavily connected with the Red Devils, but the English titans ultimately prioritised a move for Brazilian forward Antony from Ajax.
The Athletic claims that although United and Gakpo reached a personal agreement, they did not make a formal offer for the Dutchman. This occurred due to the Dutch star’s increased valuation of £52 million by his parent club.
During the 2022–23 season, the forward has been in excellent form for PSV, recording nine goals and six assists in 12 games across all competitions. The 23-year-old recently admitted that he had believed he would sign with the Red Devils this summer.
Late in the summer transfer window, Southampton and Leeds United were also linked with a move for Gakpo, and it is expected that they would return with an offer at the beginning of 2023.
In the end, United decided to sign Ajax star Antony for £100m and the move for Gakpo fell apart at the very last minute. With Cristiano Ronaldo’s future in doubt, the club may return back for the attacker in January as Ten hag aims to strengthen his squad even further.
