Fabrizio Romano claims club aren’t expecting their 13-goal star to sign for Leeds United anymore

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Leeds United still want Cody Gakpo but people inside PSV Eindhoven believe that the winger won’t be heading to Elland Road.

The Whites were desperate to add another attacking option before the summer transfer deadline.

Daniel James was loaned out to Fulham and, in the end, Leeds snapped up Italian teenager Wilfried Gnonto from FC Zurich.

Gnonto wasn’t the first target though as Leeds missed out on Bamba Dieng and Cody Gakpo on deadline day.

Leeds United still want Cody Gakpo

The Gakpo move collapsing feels like an enormous blow now.

Victor Orta travelled to the Netherlands according to The Athletic, believing that Gakpo would be travelling back to England with him.

That didn’t happen though as Gakpo ended up staying at PSV, leaving both Leeds and Southampton – who also made a bid – disappointed.

Leeds fans were given hope of a deal earlier this month as The Mirror claimed that the Whites had agreed personal terms with Gakpo for a £30million January move.

That optimism was short-lived though as The Athletic suggested that talks had broken down as Gakpo no wants to join a perceivably ‘bigger’ club than Leeds.

That’s a view somewhat echoed by Fabrizio Romano, who has been speaking about Gakpo’s future today.

Romano stated on his YouTube channel that Leeds and Southampton do still want to sign Gakpo in January.

However, people inside PSV believe that Gakpo won’t be joining either club and is instead going to join a club on a ‘different level’.

“Leeds tried to keep the deal open for January, Leeds are still dreaming of Cody Gakpo, Southampton are still dreaming of Cody Gakpo but the situation has completely changed,” said Romano.

“Now, the feeling around the player and around PSV Eindhoven is that Cody Gakpo will not end up to these clubs like Leeds and Southampton, and that’s it’s gonna be, probably, a different level,” he added.

Manchester United like Gakpo and could end up making a move to sign him during the January transfer window to bolster Erik ten Hag’s attack.

That would be a real kick in the teeth for Leeds.

It would be one thing for Gakpo’s deal to fall through and then see him move elsewhere, but joining a big rival in United? That would be difficult to stomach.

It looks like Leeds’ hopes are over now and Gakpo will have no shortage of suitors after smashing a ridiculous 13 goals and 13 assists in 20 games this season.