Barcelona will reportedly wage a transfer battle against Arsenal and Liverpool in the race to sign Cody Gakpo in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by The Athletic, Cody Gakpo is the subject of interest from Barcelona over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The PSV Eindhoven attacker is also a target for Premier League bigwigs Arsenal and Liverpool, with Bayern Munich also hot on his trails.
Cody Gakpo has been with PSV Eindhoven practically throughout his playing days from the youth level. And since breaking into the Dutch club’s first-team squad while still in his teens, the 22-year-old has come leaps and bounds, establishing himself as a pivotal figure at the Philips Stadion.
The 2021/22 season has been Gakpo’s best to date, as he has amassed 16 goals and 15 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions. At the same time, the youngster has been growing in stature within the Dutch national side, while high profile clubs across Europe, including Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool, have set their sights on him.
The interest from Barcelona stems from the rampant uncertainties surrounding the future of Ousmane Dembele. While the French international has shown some inclination towards penning a new contract despite reaching an impasse several weeks ago, he will leave Barcelona as a free agent as things stand. And Gakpo could be an ideal candidate to replace Dembele at Camp Nou.
As for Arsenal, the Gunners recently joined the race to sign the 22-year-old, which is somewhat surprising. But if Gabriel Martinelli returns to the central striker role, the left-wing berth will be there for the taking, which Gakpo can snap up. At the same time, Gakpo could also be a solution through the middle for Arsenal, considering he can play across the frontline.
Meanwhile, the links with Liverpool come in the wake of the uncertain situations that Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane find themselves in. The former has already rejected a contract renewal proposal from Liverpool, meaning the Reds need to scour the market for potential options to replace him.
Apart from Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool, Gakpo is also a target for Bayern Munich. And while a price tag is not mentioned in the report, PSV will likely demand a premium to part with the 22-year-old, considering he still has over four years left on his current contract. An intriguing summer transfer window beckons the Dutch international.