“I want him to stay” – Virgil van Dijk sends direct message to Liverpool hierarchy over controversial transfer decision | OneFootball

Virgil van Dijk Urges Liverpool to Keep Cody Gakpo Amid Manchester City Interest

Liverpool have a decision to make, and it is not a subtle one. Cody Gakpo is attracting serious interest from Manchester City, a fee of £85m has been discussed, and Virgil van Dijk has gone public with the message many inside Anfield will already understand. Do not sell him.

That matters because captains do not usually choose this route unless they feel the situation is real and the stakes are high. Gakpo has opened the season with a goal and an assist in two matches, and after a poor 2025/26 campaign he looks sharp again. Liverpool do not have the luxury of waving that away.

Van Dijk makes Liverpool stance obvious

Asked after the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest whether he wanted Gakpo to stay, Van Dijk did not dress it up (via The Express). “What do you think? He’s a quality player. I think we should keep quality players. Let’s see what the next few days bring.

“I want him to stay not only because he’s a quality player, but also because he’s a friend of mine. He’s very important for us.”

Photo: IMAGO

There is no ambiguity there. This was not a routine defence of a teammate. It was a direct appeal. Van Dijk knows Gakpo well from club and international duty, and he plainly believes Liverpool would be making their own lives harder by cashing in now.

Cody Gakpo transfer would weaken Liverpool

This is where the issue becomes obvious. If Liverpool were cruising, perhaps there would be a case for taking a huge fee and reshaping the attack. They are not. They are still trying to build consistency, still trying to sharpen their forward line, and still needing players who can operate across multiple positions.

That is exactly why the Cody Gakpo transfer talk feels risky. He can play from the left, through the middle, or off the right. He brings goals, link play and physical presence. More to the point, he is already in the building and producing.

Selling that profile to a domestic rival is the sort of move clubs regret once the season starts stretching the squad. Manchester City do not chase players for fun. If they are prepared to move, Liverpool should be asking why they would help them.

Bradley Barcola links do not solve problem

Even if Liverpool push ahead with a move for Bradley Barcola, that does not automatically justify a Gakpo exit. Modern attacks need depth, rotation and flexibility. Barcola and Gakpo could easily exist in the same squad, and in plenty of systems, the same XI.

Replacing one good attacker with another is not always smart squad building. Sometimes it is just movement for the sake of movement. Liverpool have already seen enough instability over the past year. They do not need another avoidable disruption.

Liverpool hierarchy now face simple call

Van Dijk has said what needed saying. Keep your quality players. In truth, that should not require a public reminder. If Liverpool are serious about competing at the top end of the Premier League, then selling Cody Gakpo in the final days of the window would look reckless.

The numbers may be big. The temptation may be real. The logic remains simple. Liverpool need more proven attackers, not fewer.