Liverpool attacker Cody Gakpo is on Bayern Munich’s shortlist after the Reds stole the march on the German champions for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz
Bayern Munich is interested in signing Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo after the Reds stormed ahead of the German champions in the race to sign Florian Wirtz.
It has been well documented that Bayern was keen on bringing Bayer Leverkusen’s leading man to the Allianz this summer, and at one point, it looked likely to be his final destination. However, Liverpool reportedly met with Wirtz’s family earlier this month, and their concrete interest in the midfielder has Arne Slot’s side leading the race for his signature
Speaking at Leverkusen’s unveiling of new manager Erik ten Hag, after Xavi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, managing director Simon Rolfes confirmed Liverpool’s strong interest in signing the 22-year-old, who could leave the Bundesliga for a fee in the region of $169 million (£126 million
Following Bayern’s defeat in its pursuit of the German international, Vincent Kompany’s team has turned their attention to Red star Gakpo as one of the options as a replacement, according to Sky Germany. The versatile forward, 26, scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in Liverpool’s Premier League-winning campaign
However, getting Gakpo out of Liverpool could come at a hefty price, with Reds chief Michael Edwards a savvy negotiator. Gakpo is one of a handful of names that Bayern are keen on, with Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao also being tracked by the Bundesliga winners.
Bayern’s search for a new offensive player comes after the decision to let Leroy Sane leave following the end of his contract this summer. The former Manchester City wideman joined the club in 2020 and scored 13 goals and provided six assists this season
Reds manager Arne Slot is keen to bolster his squad in hopes of retaining the Premier League next season and competing on all fronts, including the Community Shield, FA Cup, League Cup, and Champions League. “It would be weird if we were completely different, but we have to adapt,” Slot said on Sky Sports. “If there is a possibility, you try to strengthen it with players you bring in.
“We need to be better next season because the competition will probably be even better next season as well. You always have to try to become better.”
“I am not sure if it is going to be a lot,” he said when he asked how many signings fans could expect. “We know, the club, [sporting director Richard Hughes], the ownership, we are all aligned on what we are trying to achieve.
“It’s already very positive that we kept [Mohamed Salah] and [Virgil van Dijk], and a few others we have tried to sign. We are very happy with the squad we have, but this club has always shown that if they can strengthen the team, that is what they do. But big or not, it is already a big summer because we won the league.
“Even during the season, you are already looking towards the next season. Our sporting director is more focused on the long term than me, but keeps me informed all the time
“As you can expect, the targets we have now didn’t come up last week. We were looking for them for a long time.”