Cody Gakpo spent the closing days of the summer transfer window edging closer to Manchester City.
City opened formal talks with Liverpool over a deal worth around £85m, with the Dutchman said to be determined to make the move to the Etihad.
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Fabrizio Romano reported that Gakpo had agreed personal terms with City, while Liverpool informed his camp they would be prepared to let him leave if a replacement could be found in time.
No such deal materialised.
The Athletic confirmed the move was off, stating City had a bid of £75m plus £5m in add-ons rejected by Liverpool, with the pursuit “over.” City have since turned their attention to Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez.
Tottenham Hotspur were also linked with Gakpo earlier in the window, eyeing him as a potential addition to Roberto De Zerbi’s attack. He opted to pursue City instead, before that move too collapsed.
Now, according to Dutch outlet Eindhovens Dagblad, Gakpo has held talks with the owners of Liverpool to address the fallout.
Journalist Rik Elfrink reported that the 27-year-old spoke with representatives of Fenway Sports Group on Monday, “partly to clear the air.”
Elfrink wrote that the deal falling through came as “a complete surprise” to those involved, given personal terms had already been agreed.
Eindhovens Dagblad reported both City and Tottenham were prepared to meet a package worth around €100m, a higher figure than the £75m-£85m range reported in English media.
Liverpool’s stance, as relayed to Gakpo, was that he will “have to quickly get over the disappointment of a missed transfer.”
The decision followed an unsuccessful search for attacking reinforcements before the deadline.
Despite Bradley Barcola’s £123m arrival from Paris Saint-Germain being confirmed on Monday, Gakpo is expected to keep his starting berth.Barcola’s most recent game action came in the World Cup third-place play-off against England on 18 July, leaving him short of match sharpness.
Gakpo was pictured working in the gym at the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday and appeared to be in good spirits, training alongside Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Jeremy Jacquet, Ronald Araujo, Milos Kerkez, Kostas Tsimikas, Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Rio Ngumoha and Florian Wirtz.
He is set to be available for Friday’s trip to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town.
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