NEWCASTLE UNITED have been told they will have to splash out more than £40m if they are to sign Dutch attacking star Cody Gakpo next month.

Gakpo has been one of the stars of the World Cup in Qatar, scoring three goals in five matches for the Netherlands as they made it to the quarter-finals before crashing out to Argentina.

The 23-year-old, who can play as a central striker or wide attacker, was already regarded as one of the brightest talents in the European game prior to the start of the World Cup, having scored 13 goals this season with his club side, PSV Eindhoven.

Newcastle are known to have a long-standing interest in Gakpo, with the forward understood to have featured on a potential Magpies wish-list that was drawn up in the autumn.

Manchester United are also long-term suitors, but while the PSV hierarchy accept they may be unable to hold on to Gakpo beyond the end of the summer, they are determined to do all they can to retain his services for the second half of the current campaign.

PSV’s current transfer record is the €45m fee they received from Napoli for Hirving Lozano, and their sporting director, Marcel Brands, is adamant that sum will have to be surpassed if Gakpo is to move on in January.

“Only ten to 12 clubs can pay to afford Cody Gakpo in January,” said Brands. “Let’s see if it will happen – it has to be PSV’s record sale, and also the right bid for Cody’s plans. We still have no official bids. Let’s see if some club will pay big money in January.”

Gakpo is aware of the growing interest in his services from right across Europe, and most notably from some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League.

He has become an even more attractive proposition thanks to his World Cup exploits, and appears keen to keep his options open.

“As it stands now, I will still be playing for PSV after the winter break,” said Gakpo, in an interview with De Telegraaf. “But as I said before the start of the World Cup, we will see what will happen.”