Dean Ashton feels ‘every club’ will join Liverpool in scouting PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo while he shines at the World Cup. The Netherlands winger has lit up their Qatar 2022 run.
Louis van Gaal took Gakpo to the Middle East as Oranje eye their first FIFA title at the 11th attempt. Despite boasting some of the game’s greatest players like Johan Cruyff, the Dutch are yet to achieve global glory. No country has lost in more finals than their three defeats.
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Gakpo has played an instrumental role in the Netherlands’ initial Group A fixtures at Qatar 2022. He has started each of their games at the World Cup so far and helped beat Senegal 2-0 and draw 1-1 with Ecuador. The 23-year-old scored one goal in each group stage game.
Gakpo’s 84th-minute header broke the deadlock for the Netherlands against Senegal after timing his run to perfection. The PSV winger surged behind the Lions of Teranga’s backline to beat Edouard Mendy to the ball. He did not have to wait long to score against Ecuador.
With just five minutes and four seconds on the clock, Gakpo lashed a left-footed strike into Hernan Galindez’s net. It was a crisp finish from the 11-cap Eindhoven native but he would not build on his early opener. Nor could the Netherlands before Enner Valencia equalised.
Gakpo is shining at the World Cup amid Liverpool scouting the PSV star
Gakpo now boasts five goals and two assists over 11 Netherlands appearances since his debut in June 2021. He also arrived in Qatar for the World Cup having scored 13 goals and laying on 17 assists over 24 outings for PSV and captaining them in 14 matches this term.
Liverpool were already among the many clubs scouting Gakpo before he took his PSV form to the World Cup with the Netherlands. Dean Jones reports the Reds are tracking the left-sided forward ‘very closely’. But the Merseysiders may have to battle Manchester United.
That is because TEAMtalk reports Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag is increasingly confident the Old Trafford natives can sign Gakpo. He is a huge admirer of the forward who believes he is ready for a top European side. Although any deal would set a club back £40m in January.
Ashton will not be surprised if the Netherlands star is central to a transfer tussle
Ashton will not be surprised if PSV star Gakpo’s World Cup exploits for the Netherlands see the Liverpool target be at the centre of a transfer tussle. The former West Ham United ace has been full of praise for the how the forward is handling the world stage on talkSPORT.
“A young player at the top of his game, brimming with his confidence after his goal against Senegal,” Ashton said. “It was past the goalkeeper before he could even imagine to save it.
“It was a fantastic strike, he totally took charge of that situation. What a star this young man is going to be. He is just one of those rising stars that every club will be looking at.”
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