"He has to go to Tottenham or Arsenal" - Rafael van der Vaart advices Dutch forward to snub Real Madrid move
Rafael van der Vaart has advised PSV Eindhoven's Cody Gakpo to consider a move to Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur over Real Madrid this summer.
PSV Fans have reported that the Gunners are the most likely suitors of the player, with Liverpool and Manchester City also believed to be in the race.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta could lose both his forwards (Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah) this summer due to contract expiration. It could possibly see the Gunners tap into the market to sign new attackers.
The former Dutch midfielder, who has played for Tottenham and Real Madrid in his career, feels it will be better for Gakpo to join England at this stage of his career.
While speaking on a program at the Voetbal International network, Van der Vaart said:
“If he goes, he has to go to Tottenham or Arsenal. A club a bit in between. If Real Madrid come, I would say: ‘Don’t do it’."
The PSV wing forward is having a tremendous season in the Dutch league. He has scored on 21 occasions and provided 15 assists in 45 appearances across competitions for PSV this season. His pace and dribbling ability make him an exciting prospect for the future.
Since January 2021, Cody Gakpo has missed 25 games for PSV in all competitions. In that time, two of his injuries have been ankle issues, which have kept him on the sidelines for a combined 101 days. (@TMuk_news) #afc https://t.co/Sn6MtTmJeI
Why Arsenal would be a better choice than Real Madrid for Gakpo
Arsenal have transitioned to a program of adding youngsters to their ranks since last summer; a project in which Gakpo would become a natural fit. The induction of more youth leaders like Gakpo, who has worn the armband for PSV this season, will add to the character in the Emirates dressing room.
Arteta's team are currently in pole position to finish fourth in the league this season. They have a four-point lead over fifth-placed Tottenham with three games left to play. Their next match is against Spurs, which could prove to be a deciding factor for the final Champions League spot.
As for snubbing Real Madrid, Los Blancos are one of the biggest teams in Europe at the moment. They have quality attackers in their ranks in the likes of Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema. They have also been strongly linked with a move for Kylian Mbappe this summer, which would give Madrid an enviable front three going into next season.
For Gakpo to join a team of such stature could mean that he might have to bide some time on the bench. It could be a regressive move in the career of a winger who is in red-hot form at the moment.
One clear example of it was Martin Odegaard. He failed to establish his presence at Real Madrid due to the presence of veteran stars and joined Arsenal instead last year.
Granit Xhaka on Martin Odegaard: “He is the future of this club. He’s already captain when Lacazette does not play. He can be very proud of himself. He can definitely become Arsenal captain. He has the DNA in him. Everyone in the dressing room listens to him. Why not?” #AFC https://t.co/8rxthhqWf9
He has not only become a vital player at the Emirates but has also inherited the armband from Alexandre Lacazette and continues to lead by example for the Gunners.