Manchester United already have nine players who can play in Cody Gakpo position

If there is one position where Manchester United do not actually need to strengthen this summer, then it is the left side of their attack. Yet, that is exactly what Erik ten Hag wants to do with his pursuit of Cody Gakpo.

United are looking into the possibility of a move for the 23-year-old this summer, with Ten Hag anadmirer of the Dutch forward on the back of an impressive campaign for PSV Eindhoven.

Gakpo, who is represented by the same agency as the United manager, contributed 21 goals and 15 assists for PSV last season, with 42 of his 47 appearances coming as a left winger.

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Those stats are certainly impressive, though there is the obvious caveat of the environment in which they have been recorded, with plenty of pundits cautious about getting too carried away by Eredivisie players as potential Premier League arrivals.

It has been suggested Gakpo could be available for roughly £35million this summer, though any sale would only be granted if his side missed out on qualification for the Champions League. PSV face Rangers in their play-off round, with the winners of the tie guaranteed a place in the group stage of this season's competition.

That in itself is an indictment of where United stand right now. They are a Europa League club whose recruitment relies on signing Champions League cast-offs, unproven promising players, has-beens, or individuals who have an in with their manager.

Gakpo could well be one of the few attacking talents who could successfully make the transition from the Dutch top-flight to the English one, but regardless of that, the very pursuit casts doubt about the long-term future of many others at the club.

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