Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has expressed his desire for Cody Gakpo to remain at Anfield despite reported interest from Premier League champions Manchester City.
City are reportedly preparing a £75 million ($101.6 million) offer for the Netherlands international ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
Gakpo’s future has come under fresh scrutiny following Liverpool’s reported agreement to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola for a fee that could reach $166 million.
The potential arrival of the Frenchman could further increase competition for attacking positions at Anfield.
However, Van Dijk believes Liverpool should retain players of Gakpo’s quality.
“He’s a quality player, and I think we should keep quality players, but let’s see what the next three days bring,” said Van Dijk.
“Obviously, it’s pretty clear that I want him to stay, not only because he is the quality player that he is, but also [because] he’s a friend of mine, and I think he will be very important for us.”
Gakpo has enjoyed a productive spell since joining Liverpool three and a half years ago, scoring 51 goals and helping the club win their 20th English top-flight title during the 2024–25 season.
The 27-year-old has also made a strong start to the new campaign, registering one goal and one assist in Liverpool’s opening two Premier League matches.
Liverpool, managed by Andoni Iraola following Arne Slot’s dismissal, have drawn both games 2-2 against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
Despite reports linking Barcola with a move to England, Van Dijk remains confident Liverpool can continue attracting elite players.
“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 added.
“He’s [Barcola] a very good player. If he comes, he’ll be welcomed with open arms, but until it’s there, there’s no point speaking about it now.”
Liverpool have shown resilience in their opening two fixtures, coming from behind twice in both matches to earn points. However, Van Dijk acknowledged that the team must improve defensively and become more consistent.
“It takes some time, but obviously we all want it to work as soon as possible and for 90 minutes,” said Van Dijk.
“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.
“We have to score more; we have to concede less. Nottingham Forest came here three times in the last three seasons and came away unbeaten, and that shouldn’t happen.”
