Liverpool new-boy Cody Gakpo has spoken about his difficult start to life at Anfield and also about the other transfer interest he had in him when he was at PSV.
The Netherlands international looked a terrific talent in his time in the Eredivisie, and Liverpool fans will still be hoping he comes good in the Premier League, even if it’s not been plain sailing so far.
Just to illustrate how much interest there was in Gakpo before he moved to Liverpool, the 23-year-old pointed out that Leeds United were in for him in the summer, and he’s also aware of some interest from Chelsea before linking up with the Reds.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Gakpo said: “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’.
“Then when I heard about interest from Liverpool in the winter (before January transfer window), I didn’t think about anything else. There was also Chelsea maybe but I already had my mind made up.”
Gakpo could have been a fine signing for Chelsea, who ended up signing two other similar attacking players instead.
The Blues brought in Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, and also raided PSV for Gakpo’s former teammate Noni Madueke.