Van Dijk wants Gakpo to stay at Liverpool amid Man City interest

Virgil van Dijk is hoping to retain Cody Gakpo at Liverpool despite Manchester City's interest in the player. Gakpo, who has netted 51 goals for the Reds over three-and-a-half years, is poised to be pushed down the pecking order as Bradley Barcola from Paris St-Germain could join for a fee of up to £123 million. Liverpool's manager expressed his desire to keep Gakpo, citing his quality and friendship, but acknowledged the potential for the Dutch international to leave.

Meanwhile, Barcola's transfer is seen as a significant boost for Liverpool's defense, but manager Van Dijk remains optimistic about the team's future, emphasizing the need for improvement in both attacking and defensive aspects of the game.