Tottenham Pursue Cody Gakpo and Savinho for Attack Reinforcements
Tottenham are refusing to sit still this summer. Under Roberto De Zerbi, the brief is clear: add firepower, add variety, and do it before the season starts to bite. Two names sit at the heart of that plan – Cody Gakpo and Savinho – and Spurs are not treating them as either/or.
According to the original Caught Offside report, “Spurs are actively working on both” deals. That line matters. It points to a club trying to build a transfer web, not hang its entire window on a single negotiation that could collapse overnight.
Savinho: the fast lane
Right now, Savinho is the cleaner route. Talks are described as more advanced, and the Manchester City winger has reportedly made his preference known: he wants Tottenham.
That changes the tone of any negotiation. When a player pushes for the move, the buying club suddenly has leverage, and Spurs know it. De Zerbi wants more pace, more direct running, more menace in wide areas. The Brazilian ticks all of those boxes. He offers that one‑v‑one threat Tottenham have lacked in enough volume, the kind of winger who forces full-backs to turn and sprint towards their own goal.
Crucially, Spurs are not treating Savinho as a consolation prize. They are pushing hard here while keeping another door open.
Gakpo: the waiting game with Liverpool
Gakpo is a different puzzle. Tottenham’s admiration is real, but Liverpool hold the cards and are playing them cautiously.
The Dutch forward could become available after a difficult spell at Anfield, yet Liverpool’s stance is conditional. Any serious movement hinges on them landing reinforcements out wide, with Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye named as key targets. Until that happens, Liverpool are reluctant to strip away attacking depth. As the report puts it, “they don’t want to commit to that sale” while their own business remains unresolved.
Barcola sits at the centre of that domino chain. Liverpool’s pursuit is described as complicated and expensive, with “no guarantee at this stage that it goes through.” If it does, the path for Gakpo to leave clears. If it doesn’t, Spurs are staring at a locked door.
That is why Tottenham are watching closely rather than charging in. Inside the club, this feels like a timing issue: wait for the green light from Merseyside, then move. Until Liverpool feel covered, there is no deal to be done.
Ambition in stereo
What stands out is that Tottenham are still driving both tracks. Savinho is the near-term play, Gakpo the conditional prize, and De Zerbi wants upgrades in attack before the campaign starts.
“Tottenham are keen on both Savinho and Gakpo,” the report stresses. That matters. It speaks to scale of ambition, not a hunt for one marquee name to plaster across a billboard. It suggests a manager and recruitment team who want depth, flexibility and different profiles across the front line.
The market, of course, has its own complications. Newcastle United admire Gakpo, but their interest has cooled under the weight of the 27-year-old’s valuation. Bayern Munich, once in the frame, have not reignited their pursuit. There is mention of “interest from other Premier League clubs,” though nothing concrete enough yet to shape the race.
For Spurs, that mix creates opportunity, but not certainty.
What these moves would mean for Spurs
From a Tottenham angle, the picture is encouraging. Too many recent windows have drifted into hesitation and late scrambles. This one sounds different: a club building options, not excuses.
Gakpo would be a statement. He has operated at a high level, can play across the front line and still carries the upside of a player who might explode again with a fresh start. If Liverpool truly open the door once they secure replacements, Spurs must be ready to walk through it. Players of that profile do not hit the market often.
Savinho, though, is the one who could change the feel of the team overnight. Unpredictability, speed, directness – those are the traits that turn tight games and lift a stadium. If De Zerbi wants more dynamism out wide, this is exactly the type of signing that aligns with his football.
The dream scenario for supporters is obvious: land both. That would reshape Tottenham’s attacking unit and give De Zerbi the depth to compete across a long, demanding season.
Reality may be less generous. Even if only one arrives, the key detail is the shift in intent. Spurs look serious, active, prepared to navigate a complex market rather than be paralysed by it.
Now the whole thing swings on Liverpool’s next move – and on whether Tottenham are ready to pounce the moment that first domino falls.
