Tottenham Targets Gakpo as De Zerbi Aims for 'Bomba' Signing
Roberto De Zerbi has rebuilt Tottenham’s midfield and defence with a sledgehammer this summer. Now he wants fireworks out wide – and Cody Gakpo sits firmly on his radar.
Spurs are interested in prising the Netherlands international away from Liverpool in what would be one of the most audacious moves of the window. De Zerbi has been clear: he wants at least one wide attacker to crown a window that has already seen Tottenham spend £237m, including a club-record £100m on Sandro Tonali and £85m on Mateus Fernandes.
The Italian has promised a “bomba” signing in attack. Gakpo fits that description. Experienced, versatile, capable of playing across the frontline and stepping in as a striker when required – exactly the profile De Zerbi craves as he sharpens his squad for the season ahead.
Liverpool’s high price and Barcola complication
Liverpool, though, hold all the cards. Gakpo has four years left on his contract and remains one of the more seasoned forwards in Andoni Iraola’s squad. He also offers valuable cover through the middle at a time when Hugo Ekitike is still working back from an Achilles injury.
Liverpool will not even entertain letting Gakpo leave without a replacement secured. Their preferred option is Bradley Barcola, with the club expected to make a formal move for the Paris Saint-Germain winger. That pursuit is anything but straightforward. PSG value the 23-year-old at £145m, a figure that turns negotiations into a high-wire act.
If Liverpool sanction Gakpo’s exit and land Barcola, Iraola’s wing options would suddenly look raw. Teenager Rio Ngumoha and new signing Victor Munoz would be the other wide alternatives, underlining just how big a call it would be to cash in on the Dutchman.
For Spurs, the equation is clear: their chances of landing Gakpo rise only if Liverpool crack the Barcola deal.
Savinho on the radar as Spurs weigh options
Gakpo is not the only name on Tottenham’s attacking shortlist. The club have also explored a move for Manchester City winger Savinho, who has made it known he wants to leave and join Spurs.
City are in no rush. There has been no official bid, and the Premier League champions will not move until they are sure of their own replacement plan. Savinho signed a new contract only last summer, a detail that instantly makes any deal expensive and complex. Just as with Liverpool and Gakpo, City want their succession plan in place before they open the door.
De Zerbi, though, is pushing. He has already transformed the spine of the team; now he wants the cutting edge.
De Zerbi’s ‘bomba’ promise
The Spurs head coach has been teasing what comes next. Speaking last week, he claimed Tottenham had completed “60 per cent” of their transfer project and hinted that the next arrival would light up the window.
“Now we have another bomba!” he told football.london, confirming the target is an attacker and admitting he hopes the deal is close, even if it is not yet done.
He has suggested two or three more signings could follow, stressing that the squad still needs finishing touches. De Zerbi has also tried to cool the hysteria around his “bomba” remark, pointing out that the word carries a different nuance in Italian.
“I think Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Senesi, Robertson are bomba,” he said, listing the level of player he believes Tottenham have already brought in. “For me, top player for us.”
That is the bar he has set for the next forward. Gakpo, Barcola, Savinho – those are the calibre of names in play.
Romero interest adds another twist
While Spurs chase attacking firepower, a separate storyline is brewing at the back. Atletico Madrid and Inter remain keen on Cristian Romero, Tottenham’s captain and one of the pillars of the side.
There is a growing expectation that Romero could leave this summer, just a year after taking the armband and signing a new deal. De Zerbi has already spoken with the Argentina international and plans further talks when the defender returns from his post-World Cup break.
The head coach has hinted he will not block a move if Romero pushes to go. Inter have already reinforced at centre-back with John Stones, and a deal for Romero has always looked financially demanding. One factor that could change the landscape is Benjamin Pavard’s future; his departure would free up both funds and space in Inter’s squad, potentially bringing their pursuit of Romero back into sharper focus.
For Tottenham, that creates a delicate balance. De Zerbi wants a “bomba” in attack, but he may soon have to replace his captain at the heart of defence as well.
The window has already reshaped Spurs. The next few weeks will decide whether it explodes into something even bigger.
