Price has clearly become a problem for Leeds United in any future pursuit of Cody Gakpo, Jesse Marsch admits. The Netherlands attacker has exploded at the 2022 World Cup and is currently tied at the top of the Golden Boot race with four others.
Gakpo’s three goals in three matches has only taken most Leeds fans back to the final day of the summer transfer window. Victor Orta was in Eindhoven to pull together the final details of the transfer with PSV, only to see the rug pulled from under his feet at the 11th hour.
It was another hugely frustrating conclusion to a transfer chase for Orta and Leeds, who would be spurned again on deadline day before bringing Wilfried Gnonto’s January move forward. At the time, Andrea Radrizzani had said Leeds would look to return for Gakpo in the winter window, but an outrageous run of form for club and country has, realistically, put him beyond their reach.
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Speaking on Men in Blazers this week, Marsch admitted the 23-year-old’s valuation was likely to put him beyond Leeds in the coming transfer window. The head coach reflected upon the disappointment of that deadline day.
“First, it’s difficult for us at Leeds because I think Gakpo has gotten out of our price range,” he said. “I mean we were so close to securing a transfer for him in the summer.
“I mean it was so close and now obviously it’s disappointing for us. Our sport director was in Holland, meeting with the family, had agreed to terms on everything, was talking with PSV, I mean we were 99.9 per cent.”
Marsch also revealed he had spoken with Gakpo through the transfer process with Leeds and how he was still happy the forward was finding the success he has, despite it being with PSV and his nation rather than United.
“I felt bad for Victor Orta and all the effort he put into it, and obviously it was disappointing for us, but I’ve also talked to Cody in the process and I’m happy for him to have had so much success here at the World Cup and show everyone how good he is,” he said.
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