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2nd March 2024
02:40pm GMT
Cody Gakpo, a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a striker for Liverpool, has opened up about interest from Manchester United prior to joining the current Premier League leaders and shared details of a phone call he had with Red Devils manager and fellow countryman Erik Ten Hag.
The 24-year-old told Sky Sports that he was in talks with United before communication fell through, and said that joining Liverpool was "the best decision for me".
Relecting on his links with the Manchester club during the interview, the former PSV Eindhoven forward said: “I think it was the summer before [I joined Liverpool] that I was in contact with the club [United]. I spoke to the manager [Ten Hag] from them as well, obviously, he’s Dutch so yeah, I spoke to him as well.
“But at the end, it didn’t go through and that’s just it. In the winter, Liverpool came… best decision for me.”
The Red Devils had long been linked with Gakpo prior to his Anfield move, namely in Erik ten Hag’s maiden transfer window as manager.
However, United's manager instead opted to ignite a pursuit of his former Ajax protegee Antony, who set the club back an eye-watering £86 million and has struggled to impress at Old Trafford.
Gakpo picked up his first piece of silverware as a Liverpool player last weekend, when his side beat Chelsea in a long and drawn out Carabao Cup final.
Liverpool won the game in the final moments of extra time thanks to a header from captain Virgin Van Dijk.
While Gakpo has said he made the right decision by joining Liverpool, he too has struggled with game time since becoming the sides number 18, taking the role of substitute striker behind the in-form Darwin Nunez.
He also spoke deeply about the impending departure of manager Jurgen Klopp from the club, and the importance of performing well and having a strong end to the season in order to give the German boss a deserving send off.
"One of Klopp's specialities is giving us that belief we can do it, even though we're having a tough time with injuries, without us having some really good players that are really important for the team," Gakpo added.
"We have managed through the situation, that's because of the young players who have come in, the manager, his staff and the fans - the togetherness, this total picture, it gets us through."
The Dutch international and his teammates travel to Nottingham Forest today hoping to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League.
Erik Ten Hag and his struggling squad on the other hand, face arguably a much tougher challenge away to neighbours Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.
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