'Didn't go through' - £44m Liverpool star reveals how close he was to joining Man Utd after Erik ten Hag talks

Cody Gakpo has detailed talks with Erik ten Hag that almost led to him joining Manchester United in the summer of 2022.

Gakpo was regularly identified as a top target for United during what was Ten Hag's first transfer window in charge, with the Dutchman keen to add more attacking threat to his squad with the signing of a versatile forward. They ended up spending around £86million on Antony, who had worked with Ten Hag at Ajax.

Gakpo continued to prove himself with PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie and an excellent World Cup campaign with the Netherlands encouraged Liverpool to swoop in. Jurgen Klopp's side agreed a £44m for the 24-year-old, who made the move to Anfield in January 2023 but could so easily have been playing for their fierce rivals instead.

“I think it was the summer before [I joined Liverpool] that I was in contact with the club [United],” Gakpo told Sky Sports. “I spoke to the manager [Ten Hag] from them as well, obviously, he’s Dutch so yeah, I spoke to him as well. But in the end, it didn’t go through and that’s just it. In the winter, Liverpool came… the best decision for me.”

United may feel they had missed a trick in missing out on Gakpo, who has impressed at Liverpool despite finding regular starts hard to come by. The forward has 18 goals and eight assists in just over 12 months for the Merseyside club and has provided competent cover across the front three.

United will once again be in the market for such a player this summer, with Ten Hag still struggling to find a regular source of goals - albeit Rasmus Hojlund started to hit form before his injury. Antony has just one goal this season, which came against League Two Newport County in the FA Cup, while Jadon Sancho is not expected to play under the Dutchman again following their fallout last year.