Erik ten Hag warned Cody Gakpo transfer not a priority as Man Utd duo criticised

Manchester United must prioritise signing a “more experienced winger” than Netherlands hero Cody Gakpo in the January transfer window.

That’s the view of former Red Devils defender Jaap Stam, who believes Erik ten Hag should target someone more established than 23-year-old Gakpo. The PSV Eindhoven forward hasn’t had any taste of Premier League football but has showcased his talent in the Europa League, scoring three goals in the competition this season.

Gakpo has been mightily impressive for the Dutch at the World Cup, netting three times in his opening three matches at the tournament. He is joint-top scorer at the competition alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Enner Valencia and Marcus Rashford, with Gakpo scoring 60 per cent of Netherlands’ goals in Qatar.

His form has seen him linked with a switch to United and a host of other Premier League sides. However, Stam doesn’t think the Red Devils should sign the attacker as he would prefer the club to go out and sign an experienced winger.

Stam told Boyle Sports : “Man United need another winger – Antony and Jadon Sancho haven’t been good enough. Man United need a winger that can deliver a certain quality of football because Jadon Sancho isn’t delivering yet.

“To be consistent, Man United need forwards who are performing in almost every game and that’s why you need to have options because if someone isn’t performing, then you’re able to bring someone else in who can.

“People assume Man United will want to sign Cody Gakpo, but I’m not sure that they do. I still think that Man United need a winger and because everyone is talking about Cody Gakpo, people are going to assume that Man United are going to go for him but I don’t know if that’s the situation.

“Gakpo would be a player that would fit into the Man United squad. There would be questions over whether he can deliver straight away because he’s from Holland and we have seen people struggle in the past.

“The question is then, do Man United need to go for a more experienced winger that has maybe played at a certain level so that they can have an impact straight away.”

Christian Pulisic is also someone who has been tipped to join the Red Devils and bolster their attacking department. And the United States winger has previously suggested he is a United fan and would be open to move to the club, with his future at Chelsea firmly in doubt.

“I was a big Manchester United fan when I was younger,” he told ESPN in 2017. “I loved to watch [Wayne] Rooney. I wouldn’t say I’m a similar player, though. I think his passion for the game is something you don’t see much in players. That’s what I loved about him.”