Fabrizio Romano has named Liverpool’s ‘favourite candidate’ for their next wide attacking signing if Cody Gakpo were to leave Anfield.
The Dutch winger has reportedly decided to join Manchester City (The Athletic), with the Italian transfer reporter claiming over the weekend that Enzo Maresca’s side are ‘set to bid’ £85m for the Reds’ number 18.
The Merseysiders are set to clinch the marquee addition of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain and could potentially bring in another winger before the Tuesday night transfer deadline.
Romano: Liverpool want Sarr as Gakpo replacement
In a video on his eponymous YouTube channel in the early hours of Monday morning, Romano reaffirmed that Gakpo and Man City have an agreement in place, but the deal would only be sanctioned by Liverpool if they sign another wide attacker.
The reporter claimed that Ismaila Sarr is the Reds’ ‘favourite candidate’ in that regard and made a £50m bid for him in recent days, but it was turned down by Crystal Palace, who are ‘still saying no’ to selling the Senegalese winger.
Romano added that the 28-year-old ‘wants the move’ to Anfield, but it’ll only materialise if a deal can be struck between the two clubs.
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We’d rather keep Gakpo than sell him to make way for Sarr
Supporters of the various clubs involved should stand by for a prospective domino effect in the final 36 hours of the transfer window.
Will Liverpool come forward with a strong enough bid for Sarr to persuade Palace to sell? Would the Eagles have to bring in a winger first before giving the green light to a move to Anfield for the Senegal forward?
If the Reds can get the 28-year-old over the line before 11pm on Tuesday night, would they then sanction an exit to Man City for Gakpo? It very much feels as though one prospective transfer is contingent on the fate of another.
If it were up to us at Empire of the Kop, none of the potential deals would go through and the Dutch winger would remain at Anfield where he belongs, having started the season in fine fashion with a goal against Newcastle and a superb assist against Nottingham Forest.
However, if each of the proposed transfers come off, Andoni Iraola would be looking to Sarr to hit the ground running at Liverpool and help to ensure that any sale of our number 18 wouldn’t become a cause of lasting regret on Merseyside.
Stand by for all sorts of potential plot twists between now and 11pm tomorrow night!
Best options are ie
Keep Gakpo and play him as a RW
Then jan 2027, sign rayan and sell Gakpo
Sell Gakpo and buy rayan now
Sell Gakpo and buy Estevao from Chelsea
Sell Gakpo to buy Sarr makes no football
Sense
Or
Sign Mineth for 65m plus 15m add on’s and sell Gakpo in jan
No sell gakpo.sell next two years, if you sell gakpo he will shine for man city,do not make a mistake you made for diaz
If this deal goes through it’s another kick in the teeth for iraola. It’s a downgrade on gakpo and we are strengthening our rival Manchester City, just to make a profit.
Wast of time having more billionaire owners if the team and squad keep getting worse.
Next game is now huge for iraola, don’t beat Ipswich and he’s heading for the same scrutiny and pressure that slot endured.
Will he last the season?
I don’t think he will.
Where are we going? It’s all gone pear shaped since klopp left.
Great and all of it Liverpool’s doing not Ariola’s…you can sign all the attackers in the world/hey as LFC have this almighty itch about attackers/attackers we need more attackers/gee lets play an attacker as goalkeeper…all this wonderful news about signing 18 year old/you guessed attackers…Maybe LFC think all you need to win games is 11 attackers…nit worried about the Grand Canyon down the middle/without a legitimate top (nt 18 year old) number 6 we LFC will be lucky to finish 10th…so to me ot looks like the bundle has been dropped due to being very busy in negotiating selling the club/forget all this 30% baloney/the clause means it is a buy out…and I think Bezos and Co/have decided to throw Iraola uder the bus and announce Bezos u beaut best manager in the world/and along the way they have well and truly stuffed this transfer window. YNWA!
Pls sign a new contract for RIO NGUMOHA
Selling Gakpo is the correct thing to do but not when we have such a threadbare squad.
He’s far too slow and predictable, constantly cutting in from the left and £85m is a great fee. Just don’t understand the point of selling to a key rival, though.
Lfc don’t ipswich 6-0 or 5-0 then ours squad is poor.
The problem is not Iraola. It is the recruitment team who sold Diaz n brought in featherweight signings. Today, we needed a full-fledged CB, RB n #6 none will come in. How can we put pressure on Iraola? FSG MUST LEAVE. Their business model has only been about making profits than investing in valuable signings.
Selling Cody to Man City is making their team better to win cups, Also the charges waiting to be confirmed.
If Liverpool sell Cody, many fans will protest selling players and feeding FSG more money for greed. The fans needs to make this clear to the club ASAP and block Cody moving soon or Liverpool will be well behind other clubs. I’m sorry but it’s gonna hurt saying this – if Cody goes, I can see us finishing in 6th place