Cody Gakpo has admitted he had no say in the collapse of his summer move to Manchester City, saying Liverpool simply made the call and that was the end of it.
The 27-year-old Netherlands international faced the media in Istanbul on Tuesday alongside Andoni Iraola, ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League trip to Fenerbahce on Wednesday evening (5.45pm GMT at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium).
It was the first time he had been pressed on the saga in front of the cameras, and his answers were short. Asked whether he felt he had something to prove after the failed exit, Gakpo said: “No, not really. I think my mindset stays the same as it always has been. Try to perform. But it was quite a hectic summer regarding to a lot of topics, so I just try to enjoy football and enjoy life.”
When he was asked if there had been any discussion with the club once the deal fell through, he added: “It was not much of a discussion was it? The decision was made and that was it.”
How close did Cody Gakpo come to joining Man City?
Very close. Tottenham were the first club linked with the forward in the summer window, but Manchester City swooped in and quickly became his preferred destination. Reports at the time said Gakpo had agreed personal terms at the Etihad.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, City’s bid was worth £75m plus £5m in add-ons, £80m in total. It was rejected, and Ornstein reported in the final days of the window that the pursuit was over.
The move hinged on what Liverpool could bring in. The Reds were pushing hard for Bradley Barcola along with a right-winger, with Ibrahim Mbaye, Ismaila Sarr and Yankuba Minteh all linked. Only Barcola arrived, and with no replacement found, Liverpool decided to keep Gakpo.
Where City turned instead
With the door shut at Anfield, City went all in on Enzo Fernandez, and the Argentine joined from Chelsea in a €145m deadline-day move that has since earned him a place on the FIFPRO World 11 shortlist.
Gakpo, meanwhile, got on with it. He started the season with two goals and four assists in his first five appearances across all competitions, striking up an instant understanding with Alexander Isak. An injury slowed him down, but he was back on the scoresheet against Chelsea in the League Cup last week.
A team in progress, by his own admission
Gakpo was honest about where Liverpool stand. Asked how far they are from challenging again after last weekend’s defeat by Arsenal, he said: “At the moment, nine points. I think they are a very good team, they showed it again with phases in the game, and I think we are a team in progress, we are growing in certain points and certain aspects.”
Europe is a different story. Liverpool head to Turkiye with a perfect record in the league phase after wins over Atletico Madrid, LASK and Villarreal, and Gakpo is relishing the noise: “A very hostile and very great atmosphere. I think we played last year also two games in Turkiye and the environment was massive. I think some players like it, I like it to play in such environments and I’m looking forward to it.”
Would Cody Gakpo have fixed Man City’s goal problem?
It’s a fair question right now. City have lost back-to-back Premier League games to Aston Villa and Brighton, they sit three points behind Arsenal, and they have no recognised back-up striker with Antoine Semenyo out until Christmas. Enzo Maresca has already told his attackers that the club cannot rely on Erling Haaland for every goal.
A forward who can play wide or through the middle and chips in with goals and assists is exactly the sort of profile that would have eased that load. But City made their choice in midfield, and Enzo Fernandez has hardly been a bad consolation prize.
For Gakpo, the tone was telling. There was no bitterness, just a player who knows the decision was never his to make. Liverpool held the cards at the end of the window, and on Tuesday he made it clear he has stopped looking back. City, having spent their money elsewhere, should do the same.
