Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that if Leeds United can sign Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven, it would be a real statement.
There have been recent reports stating that Leeds winger Raphinha is set to leave the club for a fee of around £55m, and Jesse Marsch is supposedly keen on bringing in Gakpo as a replacement for their top scorer in the Premier League last term.
Gakpo was in fine form himself for PSV last season, as he featured 47 times in all competitions, scoring an impressive 21 goals and chipping in with 15 assists from the wing, while his current contract with the Dutch club does not run out until 2026.
With Leeds reportedly interested in Gakpo, O’Rourke spoke to GiveMeSport and claimed that it would be a real statement of intent from the board to be able to sign one of the best young talents in Europe.
He said: “If Leeds were able to get him from PSV Eindhoven, it would be a real statement of intent from the Leeds hierarchy that they are in there mixing with the biggest clubs to sign the best talent around.”
TIF Thoughts on O’Rourke’s comments…
With Raphinha thought to be close to agreeing a deal with Chelsea, Marsch will need to bring in an adequate replacement, and considering Gakpo’s impressive numbers, if they can lure him to the club ahead of next season, it could be a brilliant coup from the American coach, as he racked up 25 goal involvements in 27 league games last season.
However, the Dutch winger only signed a new deal with PSV in January, so if Leeds do want to buy the 23-year-old, they would likely have to pay a significant fee for his services, which might not be an issue if they do complete the sale of Raphinha to Chelsea for £55m.