In a recent report, The Daily Mirror stated that Real Madrid have set their sights on PSV Eindhoven talent Cody Gakpo. It has been mentioned that Los Blancos could face competition in the form of Manchester United in the race to land the Dutch playmaker.
Gakpo’s Excellent Form At The Philips Stadion
Gakpo is having a brilliant campaign in Dutch football as he has caught the eye with his performances on the left side of Eindhoven’s attack. The 23-year-old has been involved in 24 matches for his current employers this season, scoring 13 goals and grabbing 17 assists in the process across multiple competitions.
The Dutch winger has been a consistent performer for Eindhoven in the final third based on his average of 3.6 shots, 4.2 key passes and 1.9 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has even distributed the ball well from the left flank after completing 76.5% of his attempted passes in the Dutch top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Philips Stadion is set to run out in the summer of 2026. Thus, Los Blancos might find it difficult to lure him to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on the cheap next year.
What Will Gakpo Bring To Real Madrid?
Gakpo excels at generating space for himself to get a few shots in at goal. He has got the vision to engineer some clear-cut chances in the final third and can complete some dangerous dribbles with the ball on the attacking end of the field. The Dutch talent can contribute by scoring and creating his fair share of goals up top and is only going to get better with each season. He is primarily a left-sided wide player but can also function as a right-sided winger or play as a centre-forward if asked to do so.
At the moment, Gakpo is playing at the top of his game and even had a decent 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament with the Netherlands.
We can expect Gakpo to bring plenty of goals and assists to Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti‘s frontline. Plus, he would offer some decent competition for the likes of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Gakpo could even serve as an ideal replacement for Eder Hazard who has struggled to prove his worth at the Madrid club thus far. All in all, it makes sense for Ancelotti to try everything in his power to sign him soon.
