Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has blamed Louis van Gaal for blocking their move for Cody Gakpo.
The Whites were said to be close to signing the Dutchman last summer but a move never materialised and in January, the 23-year-old completed his move to Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven.
Gakpo was the Reds first and only signing during the January transfer window as he penned a five-and-a-half year deal at Anfield with Jurgen Klopp's side gazumping rivals Manchester United to the attacker's signature. But it could've been a different story as the Italian chief has now claimed that their deal on deadline day in August was "all done".
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"When we approach a foreign club, a player’s cost rises by €10m only because we are from the Premier League," Radrizzani said in an interview with DAZN.
"We were close to signing [Cody] Gakpo on the deadline day. I had spoken to his father. It was all done with PSV and almost done with him. Unfortunately, Louis Van Gaal called him saying he should have gotten regular playing time before the World Cup.
"Three months later his value had tripled and he joined Liverpool."
As a result, Gakpo remained in the Eredivisie where he captained Ruud van Nistelrooy's side before going to the World Cup with Van Gaal's Holland. He scored three goals as they reached the quarter-finals before exiting to eventual winners Argentina.
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