21-goal winger speaks out after Arsenal transfer talks | OneFootball

Arsenal-linked Cody Gakpo says he’s ready to assess his options for a transfer this summer, with PSV bosses admitting he could leave.

The Daily Mail previously reported that Arsenal had held talks with Cody Gakpo over a summer transfer, expected to cost between £30m and £40m this summer.

Amid all the speculation surrounding his future, Gakpo has now responded to suggest it’s all still up in the air.

“Anything can happen this summer,” Gakpo said. “I will now calmly compare all the options and see what is best for me. Staying another year is also an option.

“It would be a shame if I went somewhere where I wouldn’t get a game at all and I could miss the World Cup. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The Arsenal reports in April suggested the Gunners were yet to firm up their interest, as their move will be impacted by which European competition they qualify for and Mikel Arteta’s final decision on how best to strengthen his attack.

But Gakpo is certainly on the shortlist, and we obviously have a much better idea over which competition Arsenal will be in now.

Whether missing out on the Champions League makes a move for Gakpo more or less likely isn’t clear.

“Gakpo will of course not stay in Eindhoven forever,” PSV technical director John de Jong said recently. “He will go to a top club in a top league in the future. Will that happen next summer? That’s hard to say.”

Rik Elfrink wrote for Dutch outlet ED in April that Arsenal have a concrete interest in the 22-year-old this summer, and they want to push hard for the signing.

At the time, the various parties involved were still deliberating, and Gakpo could yet end up going elsewhere. But Arsenal’s interest appears to be genuine.

David Ornstein reported that though Gakpo’s new contract doesn’t contain a release clause, Gakpo has an understanding that PSV will cooperate with suitable summer offers.

Ornstein added that this has led admirers such as Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool to start holding serious conversations about a move for the player.

The 23-year-old left-winger has scored 21 goals and assisted 15 in 47 appearances this season.