Virgil van Dijk is eager for Liverpool to hold on to Cody Gakpo as Manchester City eyes a £75 million ($101.6m) bid for the Dutch forward. With the Premier League transfer window closing soon, the pressure is mounting.
Gakpo has been a key player for Liverpool, but he could face stiff competition with the possible signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. Barcola's deal might hit $166 million, making him one of the most expensive players in Premier League history. This could push Gakpo further down the ranks at Anfield.
In his three and a half years with Liverpool, Gakpo has netted 51 goals and was instrumental in the club's 20th English top-flight title during the 2024-25 season. This season, he's already made his mark by scoring once and setting up another goal in Liverpool's 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest under the new manager Andoni Iraola.
Van Dijk isn't shy about wanting Gakpo to stay at Liverpool. He praised Gakpo's skills and their friendship, expressing his desire for Gakpo to remain with the team.
Barcola's potential move to Liverpool comes as the club navigates a challenging period, having finished fifth in the Premier League last season. Still, Van Dijk remains positive about Liverpool's allure for top talent. "I think Liverpool are still one of the biggest clubs in the world. Obviously, we all know that we’re going through a transition, and you either want to be part of it, or you don’t. I’m part of it now, " he stated.
Van Dijk is also optimistic about Barcola's capabilities, noting that if Barcola joins, he would be welcomed warmly.
Under Iraola, Liverpool has shown grit, managing to come from behind in their opening matches. However, defensive issues have surfaced, and Van Dijk admits there's room for improvement. "It takes some time, but obviously we all want it to work as soon as possible and for 90 minutes, " he said. "That’s now two games in a row we’ve had to fight back. Obviously, it’s a good sign that we fight back, but I think we can still do much better than what we have been showing."
Van Dijk highlighted the need for better scoring and defense, pointing out Nottingham Forest's ability to leave Anfield without a loss in their last three visits as something that needs addressing.
