Leeds have experienced a few painful moments in the transfer market in recent times.
Victor Orta famously failed to find £4m to sign Erling Haaland from Molde before the Norwegian ended up becoming a superstar at RB Salzburg – who has gone on to net 149 goals in 172 games for Manchester City so far.
Leeds also came close to signing Josko Gvardiol from Dinamo Zagreb before the Croatian also teamed up with the Red Bull network before landing at Manchester City.
Cody Gakpo was another Leeds very nearly signed from PSV Eindhoven before his switch to Liverpool in January 2023 – and the Dutchman is now worth even more than Vinicius Junior after the CIES Football Observatory posted their latest financial figures.
Leeds United continue to be haunted by failed Cody Gakpo deal
Leeds came incredibly close to landing the Netherlands international back in the summer of 2022 – so much so that it all came down to a single goal.
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Gakpo told The Players’ Tribune in January 2025: “In the summer of 2022, (Manchester) United went for Antony. I was like, What should I do? At this point I could go to Leeds, Southampton, or I could stay at PSV… I said, If I score only one time, I’ll go to Southampton…. If I score two times, I’ll go to Leeds…. If I score three times, I’ll stay.
“The next day we played, and I scored twice. I was also involved in a third goal – and at first, it was called as an own goal. Then I was subbed out. So, two goals, right? I thought, Ah, OK, it’s Leeds then. I was at peace with my decision… but after the game, they gave me the goal. I scored three, so my fate changed. I stayed at PSV.”
Now, the CIES Football Observatory have Gakpo down as a €100.3m (£87m) player – after he scored 47 goals and provided 21 assists in his first 152 appearances for Liverpool.
The Liverpool No.18 is even rated higher than Vinicius Junior – who has a €90.3m (£78m) valuation at this moment in time.
What Jesse Marsch said about Cody Gakpo move
Jesse Marsch even went as far as saying that Leeds had this deal “99.9%” agreed before Gakpo was awarded that decisive third goal.
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The American told Men in Blazers: “It’s difficult for us at Leeds because I think Gakpo’s gotten out of our price range. I mean, we were so close to securing a transfer for him in the summer, it was so close, and now obviously it’s disappointing. Our sport director (Orta) was in Holland meeting with the family, they had agreed on terms, on everything, was talking with PSV. I mean, we were 99.9% (in agreement).”
Leeds ultimately failed to sign a proper alternative to the Dutchman, and went on to suffer relegation at the end of that 2022/23 campaign.
However, it all could have been so different had a deal for Gakpo ended up materialising.
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