Cody Gakpo's Liverpool Future at Stake as Spurs Pursue Transfer
Tottenham are testing the waters. Liverpool are listening, even if they will not admit it loudly. And Cody Gakpo, once the headline arrival at Anfield, suddenly looks like one of the most intriguing transfer stories of the summer.
The numbers alone sharpen the interest. Liverpool paid under £45 million to bring Gakpo from PSV to Merseyside. Now, with Spurs prepared to go as high as £70 million, the prospect of a hefty profit is on the table. For a player whose Anfield career has flickered rather than burned, that kind of offer forces serious internal conversations.
A Versatile Talent, An Inconsistent Return
Gakpo arrived with a reputation as a ruthless finisher and creator, a wide forward who could drift inside and punish teams, or lead the line as a central striker. He showed at PSV that he can stack up goals and assists over a season. He has shown flashes of that in the Premier League too.
Just not often enough.
Liverpool have seen moments – purple patches, bright spells – but not the sustained threat they expected from a player now well accustomed to English football. His ability to operate off the flank or through the middle remains valuable, yet questions are growing about his overall impact on a side that demands relentless intensity and end product.
Michael Owen did not dance around the issue. Asked whether Liverpool should be open to offers given Gakpo’s inconsistency, the former Reds striker was blunt. He told GOAL that Gakpo “was consistent last year, but consistently poor”, recalling a strong opening stretch of around 10 games before his form tailed off for the remainder of the campaign. For Owen, it was not just Gakpo; he branded it “a poor season” collectively, but the forward’s dip stood out.
Owen still recognises the player’s ceiling. Gakpo, he said, has “already proven that he can be very effective in the Liverpool team”, yet the concern over last season’s performances lingers. That tension – between what he has shown in bursts and what he delivered across a full season – sits at the heart of Liverpool’s dilemma.
Liverpool’s Squad Puzzle
This is not a straightforward “cash in and move on” situation. Liverpool’s wide options are already stretched. Owen highlighted the risk: if Gakpo goes, who carries the load on the flanks? Are Liverpool really prepared to enter a long, unforgiving season leaning heavily on a youngster like Rio Ngumoha?
That is why any sale hinges on more than just the fee. Liverpool would need a replacement lined up, a forward capable of stepping straight into the rotation and matching the physical and tactical demands. Owen admitted he could “see it” happening if a replacement is secured, but for now believes the club are focused on adding to the squad rather than trimming it. Gakpo’s future, he suggested, remains “up in the air”.
Spurs Talks and the Transfer Dominoes
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Tottenham are in direct talks with Gakpo’s camp over a possible move this summer. Those discussions, as ever, hinge on the financial package and Liverpool’s own recruitment plans. Spurs sense an opportunity: a talented, Premier League-ready forward who might thrive in a different system, at a club where he would be a central piece rather than a rotational one.
For Liverpool, any decision on Gakpo links straight to their wider attacking strategy. They have been heavily linked with France international Bradley Barcola, the 23-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward whose path out of the French champions is starting to clear. A serious move for Barcola would not just reshape Liverpool’s front line; it could also open the door for Gakpo to leave.
Gakpo’s Own Call
The Dutchman will not be a passenger in this process. At 27, he stands at a career crossroads, weighing where he can best serve both his club ambitions and his place with the Netherlands.
On the international stage, he continues to look dangerous. He “looked lively again at times” for his country at the 2026 World Cup, reminding everyone why Europe’s elite chased him in the first place. Asked why he seems to find more consistency in the orange shirt than the red one, Gakpo offered a simple explanation: the way he is used, the freedom he enjoys, the role the coach gives him.
“It’s a little bit different,” he said. “How I play here, where the coach wants me to be, the freedom that I have at the club. That’s it basically.”
Those few lines cut to the core of the issue. Is Gakpo miscast at Liverpool, or has he simply underperformed? Would a move to Spurs unlock the version of him that terrorised defences in Eindhoven and shines for the Netherlands? Or does Anfield still hold the stage on which he finally delivers a full, dominant season?
Liverpool, Spurs and Gakpo all know the stakes. A decision is coming. And whichever way it falls, it will say a lot about how each of them sees the next chapter of their story.
