Premier League giants Man United will have one eye on Rangers’ clash with PSV Eindhoven as they nervously await the outcome of the Champions League Playoff round in their hunt for Cody Gakpo.
According to reports last week, the Red Devils have expressed £35m interest in the 23-year-old Netherlands winger but PSV won’t play ball until after their clash with Rangers is settled.
With a place in the Champions League on the line, whether PSV qualify or not could prove decisive in the struggling Old Trafford club’s hunt for Cody Gakpo.
With United playing in the Europa League this season, PSV’s status as a Champions League club may well sway Gakpo to stay in the Netherlands with the £40m prize of group stage qualification meaning the Philips Stadion side will be under no pressure to sell.
In fact, Cody Gakpo is even quoted as saying that if PSV do overcome Rangers and qualify for Europe’s elite tournament then “it is more likely that I will stay” [Mirror].
Man United Cody Gakpo pursuit could hinge on Rangers win v PSV
The situation has been reported by the likes of ED in the Netherlands, who claim PSV are counting on a focused Cody Gakpo amid “slumbering” Man United interest.
All this suggests that United’s pursuit of the winger – who scored 21 goals and laid on 15 assists in 46 games last season – could rest on the outcome of this tie.
After a struggling start to the season, Erik ten Hag’s side find themselves bottom of the Premier League and have endured the club’s worst start to a campaign in 100 years.
Cody Gakpo may well be a target for the club but if they’re serious about signing him then everyone at Man United must be cheering on Rangers heading into this highly-anticipated clash.
That’s despite the fact the Dutch club are managed by legendary former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Cody Gakpo is one of a number of big talents in the PSV Eindhoven squad and Rangers must be aware of the winger alongside a host of other threats in the Dutch club’s squad.
These include one player who joined the Eredivisie side this summer and who claimed a few years back that Rangers failed in a bid to sign him.