Cody Gakpo Open to Tottenham Move Amid De Zerbi Talks

Cody Gakpo is no longer just a name on Tottenham Hotspur’s shortlist. He has spoken to the head coach, listened to the plan, and, crucially, he is open to the move.

According to Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink, the Liverpool forward held direct talks with Roberto De Zerbi last month. Those conversations, described as coming from a usually well-informed source, ended with Gakpo “definitely open” to a transfer to north London.

That is a significant shift. This is no longer Spurs testing the water. The player has engaged, the coach has sold the project, and Liverpool are now increasingly willing to listen.

De Zerbi makes his pitch

Tottenham’s interest has accelerated in recent weeks. Earlier reporting from Voetbal International’s Joost Blaauwhof revealed that Spurs had already formally registered their interest with Liverpool, with De Zerbi identifying Gakpo and Savinho as two different profiles who could plug into his fluid attacking structure.

Elfrink’s latest update adds the missing detail: direct communication between Gakpo and De Zerbi. The Italian has outlined how he would use the Netherlands international, and Gakpo appears to like what he heard.

For Spurs, that clarity matters. They now know the 27-year-old is receptive to the idea, not just flattered by the link. For Gakpo, it offers something Liverpool have not fully given him: a clearly defined role as a central piece of an attacking rebuild rather than a versatile option shuffled across the front line.

There is another layer. Elfrink notes that PSV Eindhoven stand to benefit via the solidarity mechanism if the deal goes through, giving Gakpo’s former club a vested interest in seeing this move happen.

Liverpool’s price tag sets the terms

All roads still run through Anfield. Tottenham’s opening offer, reported by SoccerNews as just over £60 million, is expected to be rejected. Liverpool’s valuation sits closer to £70 million.

That number is not arbitrary. It would represent a sizeable profit on the fee paid to PSV when Gakpo arrived in January 2023, at a time when Liverpool were desperate for attacking reinforcements and saw him as a long-term piece of their frontline.

If Spurs edge towards that £70 million mark, the negotiation could become relatively straightforward. Liverpool are under no pressure to sell below their price. Gakpo is an established Premier League attacker, comfortable on the left, through the middle, or in a hybrid role across the front three.

That versatility still has value, particularly for a squad already in transition.

Barcola pursuit looms over the deal

The other name that matters here is Bradley Barcola. Liverpool’s interest in the Paris Saint-Germain winger could shape everything.

Andoni Iraola is overseeing a major reshaping of Liverpool’s attack. Mohamed Salah has gone. The structure and hierarchy of the forward line are changing. Gakpo is one of the few with Premier League experience and the ability to plug multiple gaps across the frontline.

If Liverpool move decisively for Barcola, Gakpo’s situation becomes far more fluid. Selling him then looks like a calculated reshuffle rather than a gamble. The club would be managing numbers in the attacking department while banking a substantial fee that can be recycled into a younger, high-upside winger.

Without Barcola – or another elite attacking arrival – the calculation is very different. Letting Gakpo leave before a replacement is secured would mean walking into a long, punishing season with one fewer proven option and a thinner margin for error.

The risk of strengthening a rival

There is also the uncomfortable reality of the badge on the other side of the table. This is not a move to a foreign league or a mid-table side. It is Tottenham, a direct rival for Champions League places.

De Zerbi’s early move to speak directly with Gakpo underlines how highly he rates him. Managers do not push that hard, that early, for squad fillers. He sees a key piece for his system: a forward who can drift, link, and finish, and who already knows the Premier League.

From Liverpool’s perspective, the danger is obvious. Cashing in now could look smart on the balance sheet, only to turn sour if Gakpo blossoms into a consistent, decisive attacker in north London while they are still trying to bed in his replacement.

£70 million would be strong business on paper. It only becomes good football business if Liverpool have the next man through the door, ready to contribute from day one.

For now, the ingredients for a deal are all on the table: a willing player, an eager coach, a club open to selling at the right price, and a rival ready to push. The next move, and the timing of it, will tell Liverpool exactly how much risk they are prepared to stomach in the middle of another rebuild.