Premier League giants Arsenal have told Cody Gakpo’s representatives that they are willing to pay a ‘significant amount’ for PSV Eindhoven’s Netherlands international, as reported by the Algemeen Dagblad.
While Eredivisie imports certainly have a rather mixed reputation in English football – for every Ruud Van Nistelrooy, there is an Afonso Alves, for every Luis Suarez, a Matija Kezman – Arsenal actually have an excellent track record when it comes to signing players from the Dutch top flight.
The Gunners have brought in three Eredivisie players in the last 25 years. And it’s fair to say Marc Overmars, Robin van Persie and Thomas Vermaelen proved to be excellent value for money.
Whether Gakpo can continue that trend, however, remains to be seen.
An explosive, highly-unpredictable winger, Gakpo has 16 goals and 15 assists to his name this season. Comparisons will inevitably be drawn with another player who left PSV for North London. But, make no mistake, Gakpo is a more complete, well-rounded footballer than Steven Bergwijn was when he joined Tottenham Hotspur for £27 million two years ago.
Some have even labelled him a ‘generational talent’.
Is Cody Gakpo heading to Arsenal?
Despite Bergwijn’s struggles in the English capital, Spurs are very much in the race for Gakpo’s signature. So are Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are in pole position, however, having already held talks with Gakpo’s agents (Voetbal International).
According to AD, the Gunners have made it clear, during initial negotiations, that they hold a ‘concrete interest’ in the jet-heeled 22-year-old. What’s more, Arsenal are willing to pay a ‘significant amount’, though it remains to be seen if they plan to meet PSV’s £33 million asking price.
“(Those links with Premier League giants) make us very proud, of course,” PSV team-mate Armando Obispo said of Gakpo a couple of weeks ago.
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“To be honest, I expected that he’d become this good. But not that his development would go so fast that he could already show it in the Dutch national team.
“We are on the field with him every day. We know what Cody can do.”
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