Tottenham's Relentless Pursuit of Cody Gakpo
Tottenham refuse to let Cody Gakpo go quiet.
Even with a staggering £140m double deal for Omar Marmoush and Savinho on the verge of completion, Spurs are still pushing hard to prise the Dutch winger from Liverpool, with Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein both outlining the tug of war around his future.
Spurs won’t drop Gakpo chase
Gakpo arrived at Anfield from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and, despite a dip last season, has largely impressed in Liverpool colours. He has responded to doubts over his place with a sharp pre-season, intent on convincing new boss Andoni Iraola that he deserves a central role in the next phase of the club.
Iraola is open to that. If Liverpool’s other attacking pursuits stall, he is prepared to keep Gakpo. The player, for his part, is described as determined to stay and fight.
But the market has other ideas.
Behind the scenes, talks have taken place over a possible switch to north London, and Romano has underlined that Tottenham are not backing away.
“Don’t forget Cody Gakpo,” he stressed 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, as I told you.
“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: even with Savinho and Marmoush incoming, Spurs still want a left-sided forward of Gakpo’s profile, and they believe they can get him if Liverpool’s numbers line up.
Liverpool’s dilemma: cash in or double down?
Liverpool’s attack is being reshaped in real time. Victor Munoz is already through the door, and the club are pushing hard for Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh before the window closes. Those moves naturally drag Gakpo’s future into the spotlight.
Ornstein, speaking on TNT Sports, painted a picture of a club split between sporting value and financial logic.
“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 said. “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 Liverpool’s stance is conditional. Land Barcola, and Gakpo becomes a major sale candidate to help balance the books. Miss out, and he likely stays as a trusted option for Iraola.
Minteh, Brighton and a high-stakes gamble
Gakpo is not the only moving piece. Liverpool are also deep in talks over Minteh and, according to Ornstein, increasingly confident they can find a deal after gauging Brighton’s demands and receiving a clear 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 explained. “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.”
It is a familiar modern equation: upside versus injury record, fee versus potential ceiling.
Can anyone really follow Salah?
Not everyone is convinced Minteh is the man to inherit the heaviest shirt in Liverpool’s forward line.
TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney questioned whether he is ready to step into Mohamed Salah’s role on the right.
“If you’re looking to replace [Mohamed] Salah, he isn’t going to be ready to jump into that mould,” Carney 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.”
Between Barcola’s pedigree, Minteh’s promise and Gakpo’s proven versatility, Liverpool stand at a crossroads. Tottenham, relentless in their pursuit, are waiting to see which way they turn — and whether Gakpo becomes the headline casualty of Liverpool’s attacking rebuild.
