Erik ten Hag has reportedly told Man Utd that he is ‘frustrated’ after the club failed to sign Cody Gakpo before Liverpool swooped to secure his services.
It initially seemed likely that Gakpo would sign for Man Utd in January after they opted against recruiting him in the summer.
The forward was available for around £25m back then but his value has rocketed over the past few months.
This has followed his stunning form for PSV and the Netherlands as he has been one of Europe’s most prolific forwards this season.
Reports suggested United were eyeing a move for Gakpo following Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit last month.
They must now look elsewhere as Gakpo has secured himself a move to Liverpool.
The Reds are known as a club capable of doing their transfer business in the shadows and they have worked wonders again to sign Gakpo from seemingly out of nowhere.
The forward just has a medical to complete before the transfer is formally announced. Liverpool will pay an initial £37m and this fee could rise to around £44m with add-ons.
ESPN are reporting that United’s failure to sign Gakpo has ‘frustrated’ Ten Hag.
The United boss has the same agent as Gakpo so his move to Liverpool ‘did not come as a surprise’.
But ‘disappointment remains’ from Ten Hag’s side after Man Utd ‘could not match the financial package offered by Liverpool’.
Ten Hag is trying to move forward though as he ‘has asked the club to assess short-term options to fill the void left by Ronaldo’.
The report adds that Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix ‘is available’ but United are unwilling to pay the £16m loan fee needed to bring him in.
The Red Devils could instead look to sign Felix’s team-mate Alvaro Morata as the ex-Chelsea forward ‘remains an option’.
A separate report from Football Insider confirms that Man Utd are ‘working on a temporary forward signing’.
To get a deal done, ‘they are willing to pay a £5m January loan fee’.
It is suggested that with wages included, ‘the total cost of a deal could be £10m-plus even if there is no transfer fee involved’.
‘Targets are being drawn up’ ahead of the winter transfer window and it remains to be seen who they will pursue with a move for Gakpo off the table.
United returned to Premier League action on Tuesday as they hosted Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.
Anthony Martial started up front while Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Antony were behind him.
Rashford, Martial and Fred got on…
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