Transfer: Liverpool hijack Man Utd’s move for Cody Gakpo

Liverpool have hijacked Manchester United’s move to sign PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo

United manager, Erik ten Hag, had made Gakpo his No.1 target for the January window.

The club came close to signing the 23-year-old in the summer.

With Cristiano Ronaldo having departed and Jadon Sancho not yet ready to return to the first team fold, Ten Hag is desperate to add more firepower to a squad that currently reliant on the questionable fitness record of Anthony Martial.

But with Luis Diaz out for around three months having suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury, Liverpool are similarly short of attacking options and Jurgen Klopp is keen to address that issue decisively.

Liverpool moved swiftly 12 months ago to beat Tottenham to the signing of Diaz and, according to The Times, are set to pull of something of a repeat and snare Gakpo from one of their main rivals.

Liverpool will pay £37million up front, rising to £50m with add-ons. and the player is set to fly to England in the next 48 hours to complete the formalities of his move.

‘PSV and Liverpool have reached an agreement on the proposed transfer of Cody Gakpo,’ read a statement on the Eredivisie club’s official website. ‘The 23-year-old attacker will leave for England imminently where he will be subjected to the necessary formalities ahead of the completion of the transfer.’