Cody Gakpo: Liverpool changed their minds as Man City deal collapsed

Cody Gakpo, the Liverpool forward, reflected on a “very tough” summer that ended when his transfer to the Manchester City collapsed. He said Liverpool changed their minds after the talks began, with the move having been driven by City’s £80m interest in August.

Gakpo also addressed a personal tragedy: he announced with his partner, Noa van der Bij, that their second son died during pregnancy in June. “It was a difficult summer for me, and my family, and everything surrounding football and life,” he said when asked whether he expected to leave Liverpool.

A hard summer, on and off the pitch

He was pressed on whether Liverpool were initially willing to let him go before reversing course. “Spot-on,” he replied, adding: “I cannot choose. So then I have to just try to do what I’m good at, and that’s playing football.”

Netherlands reply after Anfield defence

After the failed City move, Gakpo didn’t dwell on it, scoring in Liverpool’s opening-weekend draw against Newcastle and netting in the Carabao Cup win over Spurs, while also recording five assists. With the Netherlands in the Nations League, he scored a stoppage-time equaliser to make it 1-1 against Germany, coached by his former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp. Virgil van Dijk backed keeping him at Anfield too: “There were talks but… you can’t let him go and that’s why I said it.” (The Guardian).