Fabrizio Romano say Chelsea were another option for Cody Gakpo before he joined Liverpool. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
According to Eindhovens Dagblad (h/t Liverpool Echo), Chelsea made a last minute bid to sign former PSV Eindhoven and new Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo. The 23-year-old joined the Reds on Wednesday.
The Merseyside announced the signing of the Dutch forward just a few days after Christmas and managed to secure one of the hottest properties in Europe. Manchester United were heavily linked with the 23-year-old, but were ultimately piped on by one of their biggest rivals.
However, it is now being claimed that the Blues tried to hijack the deal at the last minute, but their bid fell short. The west London side were willing to pay £35.4 million, but it was rejected by the Dutch club.
Liverpool signed the Netherlands international for an initial fee of £37 million which could rise up to £45 million if all the add-ons are met. It is surprising to see the Blues get outbid by our rivals.
Our new owners were far from being shy while spending money in the summer when we signed some big names like Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana to name a few.
So it is really surprising to see Todd Boehly being reluctant to spend money for an in-form like Gakpo. The Dutch international has enjoyed a stellar season so far, scoring 13 goals and notching up 17 assists in 24 games for the Eredivisie side in all competitions.
With the Blues struggling in front of goal this season, having a player like the Dutch forward would have served as a boost to Graham Potter. Also with Armando Broja being injured, it would make sense for the club to sign a new forward and the 23-year-old would have been a terrific option.
Despite this, the Blues are expected to spend big in the January transfer window. The club has signed a forward in David Fofana from Molde, but fans will hope that their side don’t rue the chance of having missed out on Gakpo in the near future.
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