According to Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink, it was a Louis van Gaal phone call which prevented Cody Gakpo from joining Leeds United on Deadline Day.
The Netherlands manager told Gakpo his best chances of making the World Cup squad is by staying at Eindhoven.
Bij Leeds United wordt gedacht dat Louis van Gaal een cruciale rol heeft gespeeld bij het voorkomen van de Gakpo-deal. De club is totaal verbijsterd, wilde 43 miljoen euro betalen en ging over Southampton heen, dat 40 miljoen wilde betalen. Zo een reconstructie op #ED en #AD
— Rik Elfrink (@RikElfrink) September 1, 2022
Leeds United reportedly agreed to pay £37m in the latter stages of transfer window but the deal was already off.
“At Leeds United, Louis van Gaal is believed to have played a crucial role in preventing the Gakpo deal,” Elfrink said via his personal Twitter account. “The club are totally baffled, wanting to pay 43 million euros and went over Southampton, who wanted to pay 40 million.”
The Yorkshire club managed to sign a striker in the last minutes of transfer window as they agreed a deal for 18-year-old Italy international Wilfried Gnonto.