Manchester United were reported to be pushing ahead with an ambitious double deal for Antony and Cody Gakpo, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf claimed this week.
Previously it had been assumed it was one or the other.
Why the change of heart from United? Was it purely to distract from anti-Glazer protests and compensate for a poor start to the season?
Well, there’s a catch, claim The Independent. A new report claims the Gakpo deal is only likely to be sanctioned if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves.
READ MORE: Confirmed Manchester United transfers, ins, outs, loans, releases for 2022/23
Gakpo in and Ronaldo out
While the two players are not ‘like for like’, Gakpo’s goalscoring contribution can offset Ronaldo’s possible exit.
Gakpo scored 21 goals in all competitions for PSV Eindhoven last season and has netted three times already this season.
It’s no secret Cristiano Ronaldo wants out of Manchester United. He has told United he wants to leave, The Times reports, and if he can find a suitor, its probable the club would let him walk.
Ronaldo’s presence has been more of a distraction this summer than an asset. United showed on Monday night against Liverpool that they can win without him.
This is the right time to cut ties, and Cody Gakpo can help United replace him, especially if Antony is signed in a double deal.
Gakpo can play across the front line. His preference is to play on the left, but he can also fill in as a central striker.
At just 23-years-old, he is the type of played United can build around for years to come.
Gakpo is keen on the move, Fabrizio Romano told his Here We Go channel earlier this week. The Ronaldo move still has to fall into place, but we would expect somehow, before the deadline, the superstar gets his way and is granted an exit.
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