Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has suggested that he wasn't disappointed when Cody Gakpo signed for Liverpool instead of the Reds.
The Dutch attacker signed for the Merseyside outfit earlier this week from PSV Eindhoven, with Liverpool paying between £35m and £45m for the 23-year-old, who scored three goals in five appearances at the World Cup in Qatar. He will officially join the club on New Year's Day when the transfer window opens.
United were interested in Gakpo in the summer, but instead opted to prioritise the signing of Antony from Ajax. The Reds were linked with a move for the player in the upcoming transfer window, but the club will instead look to recruit a forward on loan, rather than on a permanent deal.
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While Liverpool had not planned to sign a forward in January, injuries to Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz prompted the Merseyside club to accelerate their interest in Gakpo. Despite the player joining one of United's top-four rivals, Neville has insisted that Erik ten Hag's side didn't need the attacker.
"I think it fits the profile of what Liverpool have tried to sign in Mane, Salah and Jota," Neville said on Sky Sports. "That kind of £40m bracket of signing, what Jurgen Klopp said over there we normally get good value out of our signings and improve them and that’s the most important thing, when he works with potential.
"Nunez is different in terms of the fee but we talked about that the other day, the raw attributes, speed, agility, willingness, great ethic and you work with Jurgen Klopp for two or three years he’s developed players who have been good at others clubs, in Salah and Mane, into world class players so he’s coming to a club with a proven track record of that.
"In terms of the Manchester United side of things, I saw him at the World Cup I actually didn’t think Manchester United did need [him], I know a lot of fans have been disappointed. But with Rashford, Garnacho, Sancho, Antony, Jurgen Klopp said himself he’s better off that left side, you can say Martial as well so from that rivalry, I think Liverpool do need him.
"I wasn’t as disappointed as a United fan from watching in the World Cup because I thought he was a similar player to what they had."
Gakpo, who is capable of playing as a striker, but typically operates from the left, had registered 13 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for PSV this season prior to his move to Anfield.
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