"What I'm hearing..." - Transfer insider claims Man Utd could land January target for less than expected

Manchester United might be able to sign Cody Gakpo for less than previously thought, according to a new report.

United are believed to be preparing a January bid for the PSV Eindhoven winger after being impressed by his performances for the Netherlands at the World Cup in Qatar.

Gakpo, 23, scored in all three of the Netherlands' group matches to help his side reach the quarter-finals of the tournament, where they were narrowly beaten on penalties by finalists Argentina.

A number of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds United, have also been linked with a move for Gakpo but United are thought to be at the front of the queue to sign the winger.

Gakpo has previously revealed that he held talks with United manager Erik ten Hag in the summer transfer window, while he recently said he would consider a move to Old Trafford if they made an approach for him next month.

What is PSV's asking price for Gakpo?

It had been reported that PSV would be willing to sell Gakpo for £50m, while Dutch legend Willy van de Kerkhof told Voetbal Primeur that the Eredivise club should not accept anything less than €80m (£69m).

However, it has now been claimed that PSV might consider selling Gakpo for as little as £40m.

Journalist Dean Jones claims Manchester United are increasingly confident of completing a deal for Gakpo in January.

He told GiveMeSport: "Gakpo is going to be pushed forwards now and there is actually hope they could land him for around the £40million mark, from what I’m hearing.

"It also sounds like Rashford will be considered as a centre forward more frequently too, so that probably makes Gakpo’s versatility appealing."

Johnson: Liverpool should hijack the deal

Meanwhile, former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has urged Jurgen Klopp’s side to challenge United for Gakpo’s signature next month.

"I'd encourage them to hijack the move purely for how good the player is, rather than the fact he could be going to Manchester United," Johnson told GGRecon.

"£50m is cheap nowadays, so if you can get a young, quality player for that price, then you've got to do what you can to hijack it."

Topics: Cody Gakpo, Manchester United, Football, Premier League, Transfers

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA. Tested daily as a Liverpool fan in a Manchester office.

@rory_ocallaghan