Cody Gakpo is one of the forwards in world football who is currently receiving a greater amount of attention than the majority of his peers. The fact that the Dutch forward has scored two goals in as many games at the World Cup has fueled further speculation about a high-profile move occurring during the January transfer window.
Even before he began his exploits on a global scale, excitement was at a fever pitch. Gakpo has contributed to the scoring of 13 goals and 17 others in just 24 club appearances so far this season. One might be tempted to say something along the lines of "well, it is only the Eredivisie," but such a critique is pointless when considering how well Manchester United's summer signings from the same division have fared in their respective roles.
It would not have been too difficult for him to sign with United during the summer of this past year. Erik ten Hag attempted to negotiate a switch to Old Trafford in conversation with Gakpo, but the move was ultimately unsuccessful. The 23-year-old player received interest from both Southampton and Leeds, but in the end, he decided to stay where he was already playing.
As a result of Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from the club, Manchester United are currently searching for a new forward to add to their roster. Given this circumstance, it is only natural that there is an interest in Gakpo, a sentiment that is shared by a significant portion of the club's fanbase.
Ten Hag is familiar with him as a player; he has been in incredible shape throughout the current campaign, and he presents a glaring danger in the attack. That doesn't mean it makes total sense, however.
The position that he plays is the primary source of concern. Even though he was a part of a two-pronged attack when the Netherlands drew with Ecuador the week before, the vast majority of his appearances this season have been in the role of an inverted forward.
That is the same role in which Marcus Rashford has revitalized his career this season and in which Alejandro Garnacho has burst onto the first-team scene. Both of these players have played this season for Manchester United.
Even if it is conceded that playing Gakpo on the left wing would be a significant improvement over the current options, it would still be an odd move to make given the fact that there are other areas of the pitch that are in greater need of improvement.
It would make more sense for Manchester United to invest their money in another central striker or even another left-footed option on the right rather than signing another player to play on the left flank of the field. This is because signing another player to play on the left flank would require them to spend a significant amount of money to achieve only a modest improvement.
There is, of course, the argument that Gakpo has shown quality when played through the middle and that he could adapt to a new position. However, taking into consideration the amount of money that was spent on signing him, it seems pointless to play him anywhere other than where he is at his best.
It is also possible to argue that rather than pursuing a player who is currently performing so well from the left side, it would be in the best interest of United to continue developing Garnacho given that he has shown so much promise and could reach a similar level of output if nurtured carefully. This would be in United's best interest because Garnacho has shown so much promise and could reach a similar level of output if nurtured carefully.
When it comes down to it, the answer lies in what Ten Hag expects from his forwards now that Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer with the team. While there is a school of thought that suggests United would be better off offsetting his departure with the addition of another mobile forward, there is an opposing school of thought that suggests they need someone who offers a different type of threat in the final third of the field.
There is also a timely warning that, from the player's point of view, a move to United would not guarantee a regular starting role given the form of Rashford and Garnacho, while Antony has monopolized the role on the right. This is because Antony has dominated the role on the right.
This certainly poses a significant risk for him, not only in terms of the amount of playing time that he might receive, but also due to the fact that Manchester United are not guaranteed to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the season, and as a result, another season spent playing in the Europa League might be around the corner.
However, if Gakpo is going to be signed so that he can play on the left side of the field, it is not necessarily the best choice to make a move for him in the January transfer window despite the fact that there is certainly still an argument to be made for making such a move if he is available for an affordable price.
