Cody Gakpo Sets Transfer Deadline Day Tone for Liverpool

Liverpool appear to have taken a stance of keeping what they have during the final hours of the transfer window.

After rejecting Manchester City’s eye-watering approach for Cody Gakpo, the same stance is thought to have been taken when it comes to the burgeoning academy prospect Trey Nyoni.

Nottingham Forest sidled to the table with a package worth $40.6 million (£30 million) for the 19-year-old midfielder only to have that bid rebuffed, The Athletic report. Liverpool have already offloaded Curtis Jones to Serie A champions Inter and are poised to send Harvey Elliott out on loan to Valencia.

Trey Nyoni in action. — Trey Nyoni is poised for a breakout season. | Jorge Horsted/News Images/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Andoni Iraola was comfortable letting those two midfielders leave because of his faith in Nyoni. “I’m very happy with Trey,” the Basque boss explained during the summer.

“He has been very good in preseason, not only in the games, even when he trains with us he’s facing top-level players and he’s at the level. I have no doubts with Trey. He will be very valuable this season for us, hopefully plays a lot and gives the level that I’m seeing every day in training.”

Why Cody Gakpo’s Man City Move Imploded?

In the wake of Bradley Barcola’s blockbuster acquisition, it had appeared as though Gakpo was on his way to Manchester City. The player had given his blessing to an unexpected switch and Enzo Maresca’s side even stumped up an offer of $108.4 million (£80 million). However, as first revealed by The Athletic, that bid was rejected by the Reds.

Barcola bolsters Liverpool’s forward ranks but Iraola has been after multiple attacking additions all summer. Rather than the Frenchman’s arrival, Gakpo’s future hinged on sourcing a second recruit, preferably one comfortable operating down the right.

Liverpool had been linked with the A23 pair of Crystal Palace’s Ismaïla Sarr and Yankuba Minteh of Brighton & Hove Albion. RMC Sport’s Fabrice Hawkins claimed that Sarr had set his heart on moving to Anfield “at all costs” but Liverpool simply weren’t prepared to match Palace’s asking price. It was a similar story at Brighton, with both forwards thought to have been valued at north of $95 million.

Liverpool’s Winger Options

Bradley Barcola
Cody Gakpo
Víctor Muñoz
Rio Ngumoha
Federico Chiesa

Harvey Elliott Breaks Silence on Liverpool Exit

Much like Arne Slot before him, it would appear that Iraola does not consider Elliott to be adequate cover. The England U-21 international endured a rotten loan spell at Aston Villa last term and has gone in search of happier times at La Liga side Valencia.

Elliott hailed the mid-table outfit as “an incredible club.”

“I’m really thankful for the opportunity. I’m going to play as well as I can here and I know the history of the club. It determines a lot of hard work and I’m going to give everything I have for Valencia. It happened quite quick and I was ready for the call.

“It’s just making sure I’m ready to come here and play and I am. I’m here now and I’m looking forward to it.

“The goal is to get Valencia into European football. It is an incredible club and I want to do the best I can for them. I feel like with the team, we can do that, but it is going to be a hard season. I’ll play anywhere. I’m just happy to play football. But as a No. 10, that is where I think I am the most effective.”

Add us as a preferred source on Google