Richard Hughes about to repeat Luis Diaz transfer error

Transfer talk around Cody Gakpo has been hotting up in recent days.

With a £123m deal agreed with Paris Saint-Germain over the transfer of Bradley Barcola the Dutchman’s future has come under increased scrutiny.

Liverpool have got bills to pay - spending £450m on new players last summer and following that up with another gigantic outlay in 2026.

And much like left-wing predecessor Luis Diaz last year it looks as though the club would be prepared to sacrifice Gakpo in the market this season for Barcola to arrive instead.

Spurs and Man City want Gakpo

The club have got the 27-year-old tied down to a long-term deal - protecting them from a transfer fee perspective.

With Tottenham and Manchester City both competing for the £250k per week attacker Richard Hughes can be reasonably assured of banking a mammoth fee.

Other forwards such as Ismaila Sarr and Yankuba Minteh have been priced in the £70m to £80m bracket.

Given Gakpo’s age and quality if he were to be sold it should be at a price point higher than that. The only problem in the mooted sale is Gakpo is increasingly looking less like a player Andoni Iraola can afford to lose.

Gakpo is going to have a top season

He has been one of the brightest sparks in the early stages of the Spaniard’s reign. Gakpo got his head down and worked hard to become a mainstay in the team.

And over the course of the first two Premier League matches of the season he has been productive. A goal was scored on matchday one at Newcastle - helping the Reds to a draw.

And playing in an unfamiliar right-wing berth in the game against Nottingham Forest the Netherlands forward grabbed a brilliant assist for Alexander Isak.

Don't sell Gakpo!

At a time when Iraola and Richard Hughes are crying out for a new right winger Gakpo demonstrated that he could provide a useful outlet out there in a bind.

Liverpool were proven wrong in the deal for Diaz; they banked good money for the Colombian but he has shown at Bayern Munich he has got so much more to offer.

And now it looks as though Gakpo will be pushed out in order to make space in the squad - and the wage bill - for Barcola and others.

Hughes and Iraola are likely to be swapping a known quantity for big-money gambles. Let’s hope they know what they are doing because Gakpo is shaping up to have a great season.

They may regret his sale if he ends up doing so for a rival team.