Liverpool Shift Focus to Cody Gakpo After Failed Manchester City Move

Liverpool have shelved plans to cash in on Cody Gakpo and instead moved to put him at the heart of their season, after a blockbuster switch to Manchester City collapsed late in the window.

The Dutch forward, fresh from an eye-catching World Cup with the Netherlands and a sharp start to the 2026/27 campaign, spent most of the summer living with uncertainty. Inside Anfield, he was one of the names Liverpool were prepared to sacrifice — but only if the money and the timing were right.

Both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur circled. Both, according to Dutch outlet Dagblad, were willing to meet a package of around €100m after Liverpool set clear financial conditions for any sale. The numbers were there. So was the interest.

City then made their move.

In the final days of the window, they pushed hard to bring in Gakpo as a replacement for Savio. Personal terms and the framework of a deal were in place, and Gakpo chose City over Spurs. On paper, it was done. In reality, Liverpool pulled the plug.

Dagblad reported that the winger held talks with the club’s owners on Tuesday “partly to clear the air” after the shock decision. Inside the camp, the feeling was clear: the transfer falling through came as a surprise, even with an agreement in place over how and when he could leave.

City and Spurs were ready. Liverpool ultimately were not.

The Premier League side have now pivoted. Instead of losing a major attacking asset without a replacement lined up, Liverpool have decided Gakpo will be central to what comes next.

According to Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke, the 25-year-old is now expected to play a “key” role for the rest of the season. The club did not bring in another forward, and that, O’Rourke suggests, underlines just how valuable Gakpo’s flexibility has become to Andoni Iraola.

“Gakpo will be a key player for Liverpool this season, definitely,” O’Rourke said, pointing to the winger’s fast start: a goal against Newcastle on the opening weekend and a well-timed assist against Nottingham Forest.

Those contributions are exactly why Liverpool hesitated when the moment of truth arrived. Gakpo can play wide, through the middle, drop into pockets, or run beyond. That shape-shifting quality across the front line is not easily replaced, even with a nine-figure fee on the table.

“He’s such a versatile player for Liverpool, and I think that’s the key, Liverpool didn’t really want to lose that,” O’Rourke added. The money from City was tempting. The football case to keep him was stronger.

The late U-turn also shines a light on Iraola’s influence. The head coach, only months into his tenure, did not want to lose a player he views as central to any success Liverpool can carve out this season. The club listened.

Liverpool had one plan for Cody Gakpo in June. By September, they have another: build around him, not sell him.