Leeds United's Cody Gakpo transfer chase ends in late airport drama say Dutch reports

Eindhovens Dagblad reporter Rik Elfrink broke news this morning that Whites director of football Victor Orta has flown back to Yorkshire empty-handed after a deadline day move appeared to be possible.

Elfrink Tweeted: “Reliable reports are coming in from Eindhoven Airport that Gakpo did not board the plane to Leeds this morning. Leeds United's TD Victor Orta flies back to England alone. Cody Gakpo was due to take flight CL30 to Leeds Bradford with a total of 8 people this morning. But he's not on the plane. He made the decision, multiple sources now say. He will stay with PSV in Eindhoven, according to the latest information.”

The Athletic have also reported that PSV decided not to sell the Dutch winger, who has been linked with an Elland Road transfer for most of the summer and attracted a late bid from Southampton this week too.

If Leeds are unable to turn the situation in their favour before tonight’s 11pm transfer deadline it will mark a fourth unsuccessful bid to strengthen Jesse Marsch’s forward options. The Whites were in discussions with Eddie Nketiah’s camp over a free-agent summer move before he opted to sign a new deal at the Emirates, and then chased Belgian star Charles De Ketelaere, who would have been a club record signing but set his heart instead on a move to AC Milan.

This week they made a play for Wolves’ South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan, a player who has worked with Marsch twice previously, but their bid was reportedly knocked back.

Leeds’ need to add a forward was highlighted further by the shoulder injury sustained by Rodrigo in the midweek draw with Everton. Marsch is expected to give an update on his top goalscorer in today’s pre-Brentford press-conference.

The club are pleased with the rest of their transfer window business, having landed what CEO Angus Kinnear described as ‘90 per cent’ of their priority targets. A number of them, most notably Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams, have already hit the ground running in the Premier League and Luis Sinisterra made his first game-changing impact with a sublime goal against Everton.