Erik ten Hag gives verdict on Man Utd transfer target Cody Gakpo

Ajax boss Erik ten Hag is seemingly Manchester United bound and could look to bring another Eredivisie star with him if his latest comments on PSV's Cody Gakpo are anything to go by.

Ten Hag is widely viewed as the man who will be given the keys to Old Trafford come the end of Ralf Rangnick's underwhelming interim reign at the end of the season. He appears to have beaten Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino to the punch after the Argentine was also viewed favourably by the United hierarchy.

The Mirror understands that Ten Hag has a verbal agreement to take over at United but not before he concludes the season in Amsterdam as he looks to inspire a response from his Ajax side who were beaten 2-1 by rivals PSV Eindhoven in the KNVB Cup final on Saturday.

The game's winner was bagged by the in-form Gakpo, who has attracted plenty of Premier League interest off the back of his performances in the Netherlands this season. Both United and Arsenal are rumoured to be keeping tabs on the wide forward's situation as the summer transfer window nears.

However, the Red Devils may boast an advantage in their pursuit if they have Ten Hag at the helm given the two are already semi-familiar from their shared time in the Eredivisie. The Ajax manager has already revealed his thoughts on the winger in the wake of Gakpo's cup final heroics.

"You have to defend much better, you can never let Gakpo come in, that's where his qualities lie," Ten Hag explained while discussing his team's inability to keep him quiet. "There are two people standing by, you have to keep him on the left."

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At just 22 years of age, Gakpo already wears the armband for his club side and has often featured for the Netherlands national team. His strike against Ajax was no fluke, with Gakpo sitting on nine league goals for the season alongside 13 assists.

Coincidentally, both Ten Hag and Gakpo are also signed up to the same agency in the form of Sports Entertainment Group. This could also work in United's favour when it comes to their attempt to entice the Netherlands international to Old Trafford once Ten Hag takes the reins.

Gakpo's current deal with PSV runs until the summer of 2026, which means it is likely going to take a handsome offer to tempt the Dutch outfit into cashing in one of their most prized assets. The 22-year-old only penned a contract extension as recently as January of this year.