Van Dijk urges Liverpool to keep Gakpo amid City interest

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has publicly urged the club to retain forward Cody Gakpo amid strong interest from Manchester City, even as the team finalizes the signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. With the summer transfer window closing on September 2, the Dutch defender emphasized Gakpo's importance to the squad while welcoming the imminent arrival of the French winger. Van Dijk made his stance clear on August 30, stating that selling Gakpo would be a mistake. "He's a quality player. I think we should keep quality players," Van Dijk said. "It's pretty clear that I want him to stay, not only because he is the quality player that he is, but also he's a friend of mine and I think he will be very important for us." Reports indicate Manchester City is preparing a bid of around £75 million for the 27-year-old Netherlands international, who has scored 51 goals for Liverpool since joining three and a half years ago. Gakpo's potential departure is closely linked to the arrival of Barcola. Liverpool has agreed a deal with PSG for the 23-year-old France winger, with an initial fee of £110 million that could rise to £123 million in add-ons.