Cody Gakpo has revealed that he spoke Ruud Van Nistelrooy about moving to Manchester United from PSV in the summer before instead completing a move to Liverpool last month.
The Dutchman shined for the Netherlands at the World Cup in Qatar at the end of last year where he netted three goals in five games as Louis van Gaal’s side were defeated by eventual tournament winners Argentina in the quarter-final.
He also started the campaign in superb fashion for the Eredivisie outfit – netting 13 goals and registering 17 assists in 24 appearances (across all competitions).
“To be honest, I spoke to him a lot about United in the summer when the transfer looked like it may be coming,” Gakpo said (as quoted by the Liverpool Echo). “But in the winter, not really. It was Ruud’s wish that I went to a big club – and I think I have achieved that with Liverpool.
“There was a lot of speculation in the summer. It was the first window where it was possible to move and so, yes, it affected me a little bit.
“But then there was one moment when I just said, ‘forget about it, play your best game, and maybe it will happen next summer or in the winter’. That’s what I tried to do and it went well.”
The versatile forward also discussed how his move to Merseyside came about during the busy Christmas period.
“I heard about Liverpool’s interest – and I think five days later the deal was done,” he added. “My manager and brother knew about it for a longer time, but I said to them at the World Cup not to tell me anything because I have to focus.
“As soon as I heard about the interest, the feeling was, ‘come on, let’s go’. You have a second Christmas Day? Boxing Day, right? I was with the family – including nieces and aunties – and I was getting calls all the time about Liverpool.
“But on Christmas Day, I was not on my phone. That is a very important day so the phone was away. It was the very next day that it happened.”
The Reds’ new No. 18 is yet to find the back of the net for Jurgen Klopp’s side in his six appearances so far but will be licking his lips at the prospect of netting his first goal for the club against Everton at Anfield tomorrow – a fixture in which his compatriot Virgil van Dijk scored his first Reds goal back in 2018.
“The guys who say it doesn’t affect them when they don’t score are lying,” he said. “I am an attacking player so, of course, I like to score goals or give assists – and I also like to win.
“I am just trying to improve my game and fit how I play into how the team plays. If I can do that, the rest will follow.
“Virgil has told me about the derby and said it’s going to be a big fight. He also told me he scored his first goal against Everton – and now I hope for exactly the same.”
Liverpool are yet to win a league game this year and we need to find form quickly if we’re to have any hope of finishing in the top four.
Newcastle, who currently occupy the final Champions League spot, are 12 points ahead, albeit having played two more games than us.
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