Manchester United are very interested in signing Dutch star Cody Gakpo, but he should not be their transfer priority.
Erik ten Hag and MU were interested in the PSV player in the summer but decided not to pursue him, choosing instead to focus their time and money on Antony. Gakpo has grown stronger and stronger, contributing to more goals than any other player in Europe's major tournaments before leading the Netherlands to the World Cup.
He continues to impress in Qatar, scoring three goals, 90min reports that those performances have convinced United's management that the Dutchman is ready for a move to the Premier League. While Gakpo is excellent, that transfer shouldn't be their focus in January because the 23-year-old is simply not the man the team needs most right now.
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What Ten Hag definitely needs more than anything is a central striker, especially when Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club. Many Man Utd fans believe Gakpo is the man to take on that role, but it is a role for which he is not particularly suited.
The Dutchman has what it takes to be a top striker; He is tall, fast and has a good finish. However, Gakpo has a weakness that has raised many questions as to whether he is the ideal number 9 in Ten Hag's squad, and he recently admitted to that weakness.
He told De Telegraaf: "For me, it's important that I play facing the opponent's goal. Only then do I give my best. As a striker, you have to stand with your back to me. a bit more towards goal. That's not really my quality."
As he admits, Gakpo isn't very good with his back to goal - he has trouble holding the ball and linking up with teammates. It's one of the most important jobs for a striker in Ten Hag's system, meaning his countryman isn't a good fit.
Of course, he is still young and can improve well in that aspect, but doing so will take time. If United want to secure Champions League qualification, the club first needs to bring in a player who can do the job they need right away, and they just have to look at the player next to Gakpo at the World Cup. this to find that out.
Memphis Depay didn't play well on his first visit to Old Trafford, but that hasn't stopped the club from bringing him back. In the six years since his departure, the 28-year-old has changed, becoming a much better player in every way. He has gone from an unstable winger to a perfect striker, creating and scoring continuously. Depay has contributed more to goals in Ligue 1 than all but Kylian Mbappe, during his full four seasons in France.
Depay has scored 35 goals and 23 assists in the last 51 matches for the Netherlands. Even at Barca, he did not play badly despite frequent injuries or sitting on the bench, scoring 14 goals in 29 appearances.
With creativity, possession and finishing, he has everything it takes to become a striker for Ten Hag. Signing a contract with Memphis or someone like that would give Ten Hag time to decide on long-term, calculated deals like Gakpo. There is a risk that another team will come and buy him from PSV, but spending huge amounts of money on a player that is not really needed is a much bigger risk.
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