Cody Gakpo's Future: Tottenham's Pursuit Amid Liverpool's Dilemma
Tottenham refuse to let Cody Gakpo go quietly.
Even with a £140m double deal for Omar Marmoush and Savinho on the verge of completion, Spurs are still pushing to prise the Dutchman away from Liverpool, with Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein both reporting that the London club remain firmly in the race.
Spurs won’t drop Gakpo
Gakpo arrived at Anfield from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and, despite a dip last season, has largely impressed in red. He has responded to the uncertainty over his future with a sharp pre-season, determined to convince new boss Andoni Iraola he belongs in Liverpool’s next iteration.
Iraola is open to that. If other attacking pursuits stall, he is happy to keep the 25-year-old. But the boardroom conversations tell a different story.
Liverpool’s recruitment drive is in full swing. Victor Munoz is already through the door, and the club are working hard to land Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh before the window closes. That spending raises an obvious question: who makes way to balance the books?
Gakpo is right in the middle of that debate.
Behind the scenes, talks have taken place over a possible move to north London, and Romano has underlined that Tottenham are not going away.
“Don’t forget Cody Gakpo,” he said on his YouTube channel. “Savinho is going to Tottenham today in London for medical tests and contract signing.
“Omar Marmoush is expected to go to Tottenham as a centre striker, and he’s a target that is going to probably happen in the next few days.
“But I told you always, right winger, left winger, centre striker. This was what I told you about Tottenham.
“And for the left winger, the name remains Cody Gakpo.
“Tottenham are working on it. Tottenham are working on the player side. Player terms are not an issue.
“And then Tottenham remain absolutely on it, on the club side with Liverpool.
“So Gakpo, Liverpool could be over in the next few days if the total fee can be agreed. Watch out for that one until the end.”
The message is clear: Marmoush and Savinho do not close the door. Gakpo is still the left-sided prize.
Liverpool’s internal dilemma
If Spurs are sure, Liverpool are anything but.
Ornstein has outlined the dilemma facing the Anfield hierarchy, insisting that Gakpo’s departure hinges on what happens with their incoming business.
“Liverpool are prioritising [Barcola], there’s no doubt about it. If they can get him from PSG, then I think we’ll see Gakpo leave,” he told TNT Sports. “If they don’t get him in from PSG, I think they’ll happily keep Gakpo.
“[Andoni] Iraola really likes him. It’ll all come down to the fee with PSG, and the gap is too big at the moment.”
So the chain reaction is set. If PSG soften on Barcola, Gakpo’s path out of Anfield opens. If they don’t, Liverpool shut the door and Tottenham are left staring at a player they can’t quite touch.
At the same time, Liverpool are driving hard for Minteh. Confidence has grown after they established Brighton’s likely asking price and received a firm green light from the player’s side.
“It definitely stands a chance, but if the numbers are not right for Liverpool, I hear that they have another option they’re weighing up and could pivot to if it doesn’t suit them with Minteh,” Ornstein added. “I’m not ruling it out, of course.
“Brighton know he’s a coveted talent, so they want in excess of £70 million with add-ons, and I’m not sure Liverpool will want to go quite that far, but I really like the look of this player, and I think he could go to a level we’ve not seen so far.
“The injury is a concern, but if you’re so convinced by the talent, you could probably take the risk.”
The Salah question and Liverpool’s next wide star
Minteh’s potential arrival immediately drags the conversation back to Mohamed Salah and the right flank.
TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney is not yet sold on the idea that Minteh can walk straight into that role.
“If you’re looking to replace [Mohamed] Salah, he isn’t going to be ready to jump into that mould,” she said. “He’s 22, young and extremely quick and explosive, certainly an Iraola type of player, but you question whether he’s fit and ready to go.
“Barcola is a very good player, still raw. I think he can be more clinical, but he’s won two Champions Leagues and is a French international, so I think he fits the bill.”
That is the backdrop to Gakpo’s future. Liverpool are reshaping their forward line, weighing risk against reward, youth against readiness. Tottenham, meanwhile, are building an attack with depth, pace and variety, and are prepared to pay for a proven Premier League winger who can step straight in.
Now it comes down to one thing: will Liverpool’s pursuit of Barcola and Minteh squeeze Gakpo out, or will Spurs be left watching a player they wanted become central to Iraola’s new project at Anfield?
