---
title: "Manchester United: Cody Gakpo makes Red Devils admission"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-united-premier-league-cody-gakpo-transfers-news-updates/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Manchester United News"
published: "2022-09-02T16:36:57Z"
modified: "2022-09-02T16:36:57Z"
---

# Manchester United: Cody Gakpo makes Red Devils admission

[Manchester United](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-united-news/) **transfer target Cody Gakpo has revealed that he believed he would join the Red Devils this summer.**

### The Lowdown: Gakpo stays at PSV

The PSV Eindhoven star was constantly [linked](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-united-news/man-utd-gakpo-personal-terms-largely-agreed/) with a move away from the Dutch giants throughout the summer, with a host of [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) clubs showing an interest, namely [Leeds](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-united-news/leeds-sky-sports-cody-gakpo-transfer-update/) and the Red Devils.

Erik ten Hag clearly saw him as a strong option to come in and bolster United’s attacking threat, having [scored 49 goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cody-gakpo/alletore/spieler/434675) in 144 appearances for the boss’ top rivals in the Eredivisie.

In the end, Gakpo ended up remaining at his current club, potentially moving on in January or next summer instead.

### The Latest: Winger explains United interest

Speaking to PSV’s [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0bWDhT268Y) channel \[via [*Sport Witness*](https://sportwitness.co.uk/end-option-faded-player-admits-waited-summer-manchester-united/)\], the 23-year-old said that a move to Old Trafford looked on the cards at one point:

> “Manchester United had reported at the beginning of the transfer window. We were waiting for that a bit. The signals became more and more positive and at a certain point I thought it might fall in that direction.
>
> “That option faded a bit and completely last week. We worked the whole window towards it. Until last week, I thought I would go to Man Utd. In the last week I looked at all options. In the end PSV came up with a good offer and that turned out to be the right choice for me.”

\[freshpress-quiz id=”398302″\]

### The Verdict: One that got away

Gakpo is certainly a hugely exciting young player – he has been [hailed](https://twitter.com/MichaelJBell09/status/1556013296611991552?s=20&t=-TurufkgwL-sQcuSw0yM2Q) as ‘sensational’ this season by Dutch football journalist Michael Bell – so United missing out on him is a shame.

\[freshpress-poll id=”378953″\]

The hope is that Antony ends up being every bit as good, however, with the former Ajax man sealing a big money move to the Red Devils and seemingly seen as a better option than Gakpo by Ten Hag.

Only time will tell if that is the case, although the fact that the Brazilian has only [scored 18 goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/antony/alletore/spieler/602105) in 57 Eredivisie appearances, compared to the Dutchman’s [33 in 96](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cody-gakpo/alletore/spieler/434675) – a better strike rate – means that the Brazilian may have some doubters to silence.