Liverpool told to hijack Manchester United’s ‘cheap’ move for Cody Gakpo as PSV admit deal could be done

Liverpool have been urged to swoop for highly-rated Dutch winger Cody Gakpo with PSV Eindhoven manager Ruud van Nistelrooy admitting a deal could be done in the January window.

Premier League rivals Manchester United have been heavily linked with the Netherlands international, who is well known to the Red Devils’ Dutch manager Erik Ten Hag, and a £50 million fee has been mooted.

But former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson, who made 200 appearances for the Anfield club, says at that price the Reds simply have to make a move.

Liverpool are known to be interested in 23-year-old Gakpo, who was reportedly watched by club scouts at the Qatar World Cup, where he scored three goals and in series of eye-catching performances.

Johnson said: “£50 million is cheap nowadays, so if you can get a young, quality player for that price, then you’ve got to do what you can to hijack it.”

He told GGRecon: “I’d encourage them to hijack the move purely for how good the player is rather than the fact he could be going to Manchester United.”

With Liverpool forward Luis Diaz ruled out injured until March, manager Jurgen Klopp could be keen to add a wideman to his squad as he looks to reboot the Reds’ season after the World Cup break.

Gakpo, who prefers to play on the left of a front three, has scored 13 goals and notched 17 assists for PSV this season and manager Van Nistelrooy expects a transfer to happen sooner or later.

“If I have the choice, I prefer the summer, but it can also be now,” the former Manchester United striker told Voetbal International. “You just know there comes a time when you can’t say no.”