Tottenham Tests Liverpool's Commitment to Gakpo as Arsenal Pursues Guimarães
Cody Gakpo’s Liverpool career has reached an awkward crossroads. The form that once made him one of Europe’s most coveted forwards dipped badly last season, and now Tottenham Hotspur are ready to see just how committed Liverpool really are to his revival.
Spurs are reportedly preparing an offer in the region of £70m to drag the Dutchman to north London. That sort of money used to be unthinkable for a player who started just 18 league games last term. Not this summer. Not with Tottenham flush from recent business and determined to arm Ange Postecoglou with another marquee attacker.
Liverpool’s stance, though, is wrapped in carefully chosen words. The Mail insist the club “have no plans to sell Gakpo” and that “it would take a huge sum to change their stance”. The Athletic echo that Liverpool “have no intention of selling” but, tellingly, add that his value will be judged against other deals in this window, including Morgan Rogers’ move to Chelsea.
So the message is clear enough. Liverpool are not touting Gakpo. But if Spurs slam that XXL chequebook down hard enough, the conversation changes.
Mudryk interest builds after doping ban
Across London, Chelsea have a very different dilemma. Mykhailo Mudryk is only just back from a doping ban, still a puzzle of raw pace, erratic decision-making and unfulfilled promise. That hasn’t stopped the phone ringing.
According to the Mirror, “multiple Premier League clubs” have contacted Chelsea to ask about the Ukrainian’s availability. Only one is named: Coventry City, now coached by Frank Lampard, returning for a third act linked to Stamford Bridge, this time from the dugout of an ambitious Championship club.
The Sun add that two more top-flight sides are believed to have made enquiries, with three clubs from Europe also circling. The Mirror couldn’t resist dubbing the emerging scramble for his signature “Mud Fight”. For once, the pun fits. Mudryk’s Chelsea story has never settled; this could be the window where someone else tries to rewrite it.
Coventry’s recruitment drive doesn’t stop there. They are one of several clubs tracking Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, with interest also coming from unnamed Italian sides, Hull City and Ipswich Town. Hull, busy on multiple fronts, have already seen a second bid rejected for Augsburg’s Mert Kömür as they push to upgrade their midfield options.
Arsenal push on Guimarães as they plot busy week
At Arsenal, the summer plan is bigger, bolder, and potentially very expensive. The club have opened formal negotiations with Newcastle United over Bruno Guimarães, the 28-year-old midfielder who has become the heartbeat of Eddie Howe’s side.
Talks are active, the gap clear: around £10m separates the clubs in their valuation. Arsenal want him badly enough to keep pushing. Newcastle know exactly what they have and will not fold easily.
The Express go further, claiming Arsenal “can complete as many as six transfer deals just this week”. On the incoming side, the names are heavyweight: Guimarães, Vinicius Júnior and Ferran Torres are all mentioned. Reality bites quickly, though. Barcelona are said to want a new deal for Torres, while Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid have also shown interest. That kind of competition makes any move to the Emirates feel like a long shot for now.
Outgoings are just as significant. Milan are keen on Gabriel Jesus, whose Arsenal role has grown increasingly uncertain amid injuries and tactical tweaks. Fábio Vieira and Christian Nørgaard are also described as unwanted, with the club ready to reshape the squad’s middle tier.
Arsenal’s recruitment team are also scouring the domestic market for the next wave. Blackburn’s 18-year-old forward Igor Tyjon, Cardiff’s 16-year-old midfielder Axel Donczew and Crystal Palace’s Mylo Bernard – a 16-year-old forward with a versatile profile – are all on the list. It’s a familiar Arsenal pattern: big-money headline acts, backed by a quiet hoarding of high-upside teenagers.
West Ham chase width and goals in crowded market
West Ham United, as ever, are shopping in a different aisle but with no less urgency. They need a winger and have zeroed in on Tottenham’s Manor Solomon. The 27-year-old has struggled to carve out a consistent role at Spurs, and West Ham sense an opportunity. Fiorentina do too. Both clubs are in the race, with negotiations already under way.
One door has already slammed shut. Sunderland have decided they will not sell Wilson Isidor to the Hammers, forcing the London club to look abroad for a striker. Their answer is AZ Alkmaar’s Troy Parrott, and West Ham are said to be lining up an £18m bid.
That fee, though, is only one part of the battle. Porto, Como, Ajax, Real Betis and PSV Eindhoven are all also interested in the forward. It’s a queue that underlines how competitive this market has become. West Ham can offer Premier League football and a prominent role. Others can offer European nights, different pathways, sometimes calmer waters.
This is the shape of the window now: big names like Gakpo and Guimarães at the top end, restless talents like Mudryk and Solomon trying to find the right fit, and a pack of clubs fighting for the same emerging forwards. The money is there. The need is obvious. The question is who blinks first.
