Cody Gakpo has admitted that both Manchester United and Chelsea were also interested in signing him before he joined Liverpool.
Gakpo has struggled to recapture his World Cup and Eredivisie form and he has admitted previously that the Premier League is a difficult league.
It’s been an unfortunate time for Gakpo to arrive at the club with his team mates misfiring and low on confidence.
The Dutchman has yet to score for his new club but he has shown glimpses of his ability at times.
Gakpo admitted there was a lot of discussions about him potentially joining Manchester United last summer, as quoted by The MEN.
“To be honest, I spoke to him [Van Nistelrooy] a lot about United in the summer when the transfer looked like it may be coming,” Gakpo said. “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.”
Gakpo admitted that he was one of the last to know about Liverpool’s interest as he wanted to focus on the World Cup.
“I heard about Liverpool’s interest – and I think five days later the deal was done. 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.”
Gakpo told The Daily Mail that both Leeds United and Chelsea were also interested in signing him.
“I nearly went to Leeds in the summer but Louis van Gaal [Dutch manager at the time] advised me that a change of team before the World Cup might be difficult so I decided not to go.”
To be honest, the speculation affected me a little bit because it was the first time it had happened to me. I just had to think ‘forget about it, play your best and see what happens later on’.”
Chelsea were also interested but Gakpo has his mind made up after hearing the Reds wanted to sign him.
“Then when I heard about interest from Liverpool in the winter, I didn’t think about anything else. There was also Chelsea maybe but I already had my mind made up. This is a good place for me to improve and develop and eventually show who I can be.”
Gakpo is likely to feature tomorrow night as Liverpool face rivals Everton at Anfield in search of a much needed win.
