PSV Eindhoven ‘had a knife to their throat’ as they were forced to sell £44m Cody Gakpo to Liverpool to balance books
PSV EINDHOVEN were reportedly forced to sell star player Cody Gakpo in order to aid their financial situation.
The Dutch club has agreed to a £44 million deal for Gakpo to move to Liverpool despite heavy interest from Manchester United.
The Eredivise side’s financial position had left them with a “knife to their throats”, according to De Telegraaf.
The club must bring in £35m per season in order to stay afloat after seeing their wage bill increase over the last few seasons.
This meant that the opportunity to cash in on Gakpo was too much to turn down, as the report revealed.
The 23-year-old had starred for the club this season as he scored 13 goals as well as provided 17 assists in his 24 appearances in all competitions.
Gakpo will link up with the Reds in the New Year and will compete with Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz for a position in the starting eleven.
He could be thrown in at the deep end due to Nunez’s inconsistent form in front of goal as well as Jota and Diaz’s injury woes.
Liverpool poached the Netherlands international from under the noses of rivals Manchester United.
The Old Trafford side had been chasing his signature for the past year, but will have to look elsewhere to find more firepower for their frontline.
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Despite losing their star, PSV will be happy to have held off on selling him until now.
Gakpo could have left the club in the summer with Leeds and Southampton attempting to sign him.
However, if he had gone, then it is likely that they would not have received as sizeable a fee for him.