Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has expressed his desire for teammate Cody Gakpo to stay at the club, as Manchester City reportedly prepares a £75 million bid for the Dutch international ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
Gakpo’s future at Anfield has come into question following the imminent arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. The deal for the Frenchman could reach £123 million, which would establish him as the second most expensive signing in Premier League history.
Reflecting on the potential departure, Van Dijk emphasized the importance of maintaining squad depth. “He’s a quality player and I think we should keep quality players, but let’s see what the next three days bring,” the defender said. He added that his support for Gakpo is both professional and personal, noting, “Obviously it’s pretty clear that I want him to stay, not only because he is the quality player that he is, but also he’s a friend of mine and I think he will be very important for us.”
Since joining Liverpool three-and-a-half years ago, Gakpo has netted 51 goals and played a pivotal role in the club’s 2024/25 campaign, which saw them secure their 20th English top-flight title. The 27-year-old has started the current season in strong form, contributing a goal and an assist across Liverpool’s opening two matches, both of which ended in 2-2 draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
Regarding the potential arrival of Barcola, Van Dijk noted that the player would be welcomed, though he refrained from discussing the transfer until it is finalized. He also addressed the club’s current transition period following the appointment of manager Andoni Iraola, who replaced the sacked Arne Slot. “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,” Van Dijk stated.
Iraola’s tenure has begun with defensive challenges, as the team has been forced to fight back from behind in both of their opening fixtures. Van Dijk acknowledged the need for improvement, particularly regarding consistency over the full 90 minutes.
“It takes some time but obviously we all want it to work as soon as possible and for 90 minutes,” Van Dijk explained. “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.”
The captain specifically highlighted defensive lapses, noting that Nottingham Forest has remained unbeaten in their last three visits to Anfield, a trend he insists must end. “We have to score more, we have to concede less,” he concluded. The report also notes that gakpo looks set to be pushed down the pecking order at Anfield by the arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee that could rise to £123 million ($166 million), making the Frenchman the second most exp.
