Barcelona Ramp Up Interest in 16-Goal Winger: Report

Getty Cody Gakpo celebrates scoring for PSV.

Barcelona are one of several top European clubs being credited with an interest in impressive young PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo ahead of the summer transfer window.

Gakpo has “an understanding” with PSV that the club will cooperate if suitable offers arrive at the end of the season which has led Barcelona to “accelerate their interest and hold serious conversations about pushing for the Dutch attacker,” as reported by David Ornstein at The Athletic.

Premier League sides Liverpool and Arsenal, as well as Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, are also thoughts to be keen on signing the 22-year-old Netherlands international.

Gakpo is in the midst of an impressive campaign with PSV. The youngster has 16 goals and 14 assists in just 36 matches for the Eredivisie side, who are currently just two points behind leaders Ajax in the table.

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Barcelona Searching For a New Winger?

Barcelona could be in the market for a winger in the summer transfer window, particularly if Ousmane Dembele departs the Camp Nou. The Frenchman is out of contract in the summer and able to walk away on a free transfer.

The Catalans could also lose Adama Traore. The winger was brought back to the club in the winter transfer window on loan with an option to buy. Traore’s price is set at £29 million (€35m), as reported by Sky Sports.

However, president Joan Laporta has already admitted there is no guarantee the club will make the deal permanent at the end of the campaign, as reported by The Independent.

“Adama has Barca DNA, he’s one of the best forwards in the world, he’s fast,” he said. “We’d love Adama Traore to stay here, it’s possible — but we’re in a difficult financial situation. We’ll see at the end of the season.”

Barcelona’s financial situation means that Gakpo’s price tag may also prove problematic, particularly if a bidding war were to break out with other clubs involved.

Gakpo Teammates Talk Up Winger

Meanwhile, Gakpo’s PSV teammates have been talking up the winger and are not surprised to hear of interest in the youngster from some of Europe’s biggest names.

Armando Obispo told Voetbal International it’s a source of pride for the players to see Gakpo linked with a big-money move away from PSV Eindhoven, as reported by Sport Witness.

“Of course, that makes us very proud,” he said. “To be honest, I did expect that he would become so good, but not that his development would go so fast that he could already show it at the Dutch national team. But we are on the pitch with him every day; we know what Cody can do.”

Right-back Jordan Teze has also been full of praise for his PSV colleague.

“Cody is having a good season, and we still have some way to go,” he added. “There are good things coming for him. It’s great that his name is being linked with big clubs like Manchester City and Liverpool. That’s an example of how we want it in the end.”

PSG sporting director John de Jong has already seemed resigned to losing Gakpo at some point. He told reporters earlier this year, “I don’t know how long we can keep him out of the hands of the big clubs in Europe.”

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