PSV Eindhoven chief John de Jong has admitted he doesn’t know if he will be able to keep Cody Gakpo at the club amid interest from Liverpool.
Gakpo has been one of the stars of the show for the Dutch side this season, with an impressive tally of six goals and ten assists in 15 games in the Eredivisie so far.
That’s naturally earned him plenty of attention, particularly from the Premier League, where Liverpool and Manchester City are known to be keen.
They’ve already sounded out the 22-year-old about a move to England, with a report last month stating that they had held ‘exploratory talks’ with him and his entourage.
That obviously caused some concern at PSV, who moved quickly to sign the forward to a new deal until 2026 in an effort to ward off interest.
That should ensure they get a high price if Liverpool come calling again, with them recently warned that €30m would be nowhere near enough for a deal.
De Jong is still concerned, though, admitting he is not sure how long he can fight off the bigger clubs.
“The interest started early in the season, when he performed well, also with the Dutch national team,” he told PSV TV, relayed by Voetbal Primeur.
“My goal is to keep him for the season at all times. I don’t know how long we can keep him out of the hands of the big clubs in Europe. How he performs is the most important thing.
“That (his new contract) says a lot. A nice signal to players in the academy and in this group.
“The path that he goes through from youth player to important base player, to the second captain is beautiful. An example.”