Leeds United are reportedly planning to try again for PSV Eindhoven attacker Cody Gakpo in the January transfer window.
The Netherlands international earned links with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal earlier this year after bursting onto the scene in his homeland with PSV.
However, reported interest from Arsenal did not materialise into anything serious as the Gunners instead swooped for Gabriel Jesus, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira to boost their attacking line.
Meanwhile, Man United instead forked out £85m to secure a deal for Antony from PSV's Eredivisie rivals Ajax, which allowed other clubs the chance to enter the race for Gakpo on deadline day.
The 23-year-old was believed to have been courted by Leeds in the final knockings of the transfer window, and Southampton were reportedly waiting in the wings as well.
The window ultimately shut with the attacker still on the books at the Philips Stadion, but according to Fabrizio Romano, Leeds will reignite their interest in the January market.
Romano adds that Gakpo has been earmarked as Jesse Marsch's top target for the mid-season window, but the Whites will have to fend off numerous other clubs to sign him.
PSV director John de Jong has confirmed that Leeds did hold talks over a move for Gakpo last month, but Leeds supposedly did not come up with a good enough offer following Whites chief Victor Orta's journey to Eindhoven.
"I think everyone knows that a club has to make an outgoing transfer every year. That's in the budget. So did we, but in the end, there was not such a good offer on the table that we really considered letting him go," De Jong told PSV TV, as quoted by Voetbal International.
"I think everyone knows that a club has to make an outgoing transfer every year. That's in the budget. So did we, but in the end, there was not such a good offer on the table that we really considered letting him go. It's hard, it was hard for Cody too. We got together on Thursday morning to talk about it."
Gakpo himself has admitted that he was expecting to sign for Man United on deadline day, and he did not like the feeling of being pressured into quickly trying to choose a new club.
"Manchester United had reported at the beginning of the transfer window. We were waiting for that a bit. The signals became more and more positive and at a certain point I thought it might fall in that direction," Gakpo told PSV TV.
"That option faded a bit and completely last week. We worked the whole window towards it. Until last week I thought I would go to Manchester United.
"It was all last minute for me, because until last week I thought I was going to Manchester [United]. Then it was 'choose another club' and decide whether I wanted to go there. That is not nice for PSV and also not for me, because it felt rushed.
"In the last week it was looking at what was the right thing to do. I feel at home here, in my own city. Everyone knows how I feel here. But of course there are other things at play and I think you should have all the options. I did that too."
Gakpo - who is contracted to PSV until 2026 - has amassed 49 goals and 39 assists in 145 outings for Ruud van Nistelrooy's side across all competitions, including seven goals and six assists from 10 appearances so far this term.
Meanwhile, Leeds - who also saw a late move for Marseille's Bamba Dieng fall through the cracks - brought in Italian starlet Wilfried Gnonto from FC Zurich as an alternative to Gakpo. body check tags ::
