Cody Gakpo breaks silence on failed Liverpool exit

Cody Gakpo breaks silence on failed Liverpool exit Cody Gakpo Stayed at Liverpool After £80m Manchester City Bid Fell Short Cody Gakpo came close to leaving Liverpool this summer. That much is clear. Tottenham Hotspur pushed early, Manchester City followed late, and for a while Liverpool were prepared to listen. Then the reality of the market kicked in. Tottenham were among the first to test the water in August, with Roberto De Zerbi looking to add another forward. Gakpo was on the radar, and Liverpool were not shutting the door. A few weeks later, Manchester City moved. Talks opened on August 29, and Gakpo was understood to be open to the Etihad if he was going anywhere. City then put real money on the table. Their offer was worth £80 million, made up of £75 million up front and another £5 million in add-ons. Liverpool said no on August 31. That is the key point here. They were not rejecting the player, they were rejecting the timing. Liverpool transfer decision came down to timing Liverpool’s concern was simple enough. Sell Gakpo that late in the window and replacing him properly becomes a gamble. Clubs know you are under pressure, prices go up, options narrow, and mistakes get made. Liverpool decided keeping a proven attacker was better than taking £80 million and scrambling for alternatives. Under Andoni Iraola, Gakpo has remained part of the plan. There has been no public drama and no attempt to reopen the issue. The player has addressed it directly ahead of the Champions League meeting with Fenerbahce, saying, “Not really, my mindset is the same. Try to perform. But it was quite a hectic summer regarding a lot of topics. I just try to enjoy football and enjoy life. It wasn’t much of a discussion was it? The decision was made and that’s it.” Cody Gakpo focus remains on Liverpool role That sounds like a player who understands the business and has moved on. Liverpool weighed up the fee, the squad picture and the market. In the end, they kept Cody Gakpo, and that was the sensible call.