U TURN! Gakpo to STAY at Liverpool as Man City make Fernandez top priority

Manchester City's pursuit of Cody Gakpo is off after Liverpool rejected their £80million offer before all parties decided to go their separate ways.

The Dutchman has been linked with an Anfield exit in recent days and, after Liverpool secured the signing of Bradley Barcola, Gakpo's role was set to be reduced. Despite that, the Reds have turned down City's latest offer, which was £75m up front with £5m in add-ons.

Tottenham had been keen on the ex-PSV man but he made it clear his preference was on a move to Manchester and negotiations were ongoing. The knock-on effect of that was that Tottenham went on to agree a deal with Everton to sign Iliman Ndiaye.

However, Liverpool are now poised to retain Gakpo, reports the Athletic, leaving City potentially short on the wings following their summer overhaul. Their priority in the final day of the window will now be Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez.

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City have been interested in the Argentine all summer but are yet to make major moves to back that up. Fernandez worked under Enzo Maresca, who is now in charge at the Etihad, and the two had a good working relationship.

Rebuilding their midfield has been one of the major projects for those at the Etihad this summer after the exits of Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders. They've since spent a club-record fee to land Elliot Anderson and last week signed Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, making him the Premier League's most expensive teenager ever.

Fernandez is the last man on their shortlist and Chelsea have left him out of the team for their games so far this season amid the uncertainty surrounding his future. He's been at Stamford Bridge since January 2023, when he signed for £106m.

Xabi Alonso has admitted that he will do whatever's best for the team with Fernandez's exit far from off the cards. When quizzed on his possible departure the Spaniard said: “We'll see. We want the best for the team and that's why we made the decision against Luton and today and anything that happens before Tuesday evening, we need to be aware of what is going to develop.

“We are not sure, we are preparing for all the scenarios but I am sure that whatever happens from Wednesday we will have a good enough squad to compete in all the Premier League games.”

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