The genuinely ‘peculiar’ explanation for Southampton’s failure to secure the signing of Cody Gakpo in 2022.
Southampton was on the verge of securing Cody Gakpo’s signature in the summer of 2022. At the time, Gakpo, who was with PSV, had just come off an impressive season in the Eredivisie with 25 goal contributions, positioning him for a significant move. While Manchester United expressed interest, concerns over Financial Fair Play halted any concrete offer for the Dutchman.
Consequently, it appeared to be a direct competition between Southampton and Leeds United, who coincidentally were recent playoff final opponents, for Gakpo’s services. However, Gakpo surprised many by deciding to remain at PSV that summer, only to join Liverpool the following January.
In a recent documentary with ESPN, Gakpo disclosed the unusual reason behind his decision not to sign with Southampton. He revealed that he prayed for guidance in making his choice, presenting three options to God: Southampton, Leeds United, or staying at PSV. He devised a unique criterion based on scoring goals in PSV’s match against Volendam on August 31, 2022. Gakpo’s hat-trick in that game ultimately led him to commit to staying at PSV.
This decision denied Southampton the opportunity to secure Gakpo’s services, a move that could have potentially altered their fate in the league, given their struggles to find the back of the net. Despite facing challenges at Liverpool, Gakpo’s talent would have undoubtedly elevated Southampton’s attacking prowess, had he chosen differently. Instead, fate intervened, and Gakpo ended up at Anfield four months later, where he remains to this day.