Manchester City Eyes Cody Gakpo as Transfer Deadline Approaches
Manchester City have turned their attention to Cody Gakpo as the clock ticks towards the transfer deadline, with the Premier League champions exploring whether Liverpool might be tempted into a late sale.
According to ESPN, City have made enquiries about the Dutch forward’s potential availability as they assess attacking options. At this stage, there has been no formal approach to Liverpool and no bid on the table, but the interest is real and growing.
Savinho exit forces City’s hand
Savinho’s move to Tottenham has ripped a hole in City’s wide options and pushed a new winger to the top of their to-do list. The champions want depth, pace and goals for a season that will stretch their squad across multiple fronts.
Gakpo has just reminded everyone of his threat. He started and scored in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle, underlining why Jürgen Klopp’s side have been reluctant to even entertain the idea of losing him.
Liverpool’s stance: firm, but with a caveat
Liverpool have so far held a strict line this summer: Gakpo is not for sale. That could shift if they manage to land attacking reinforcements before the window shuts.
Work on that front is already intense. The Reds are in active talks with Paris Saint-Germain over Bradley Barcola, while two bids for Brighton & Hove Albion winger Yankuba Minteh have already been knocked back. Liverpool are pushing, but they are not over the line on either deal.
If those signings arrive, an opening might finally appear. And City will be ready to pounce.
Tottenham lurking, City weighing alternatives
City do not have a clear run at Gakpo. Tottenham, fresh from taking Savinho, have also shown concrete interest in the Liverpool forward. Any hint that Liverpool are prepared to negotiate would trigger a scramble, not a quiet conversation.
So City are keeping parallel tracks open. Gakpo is high on the list, but not the only name. Chelsea winger Pedro Neto is also under consideration as they map out different profiles and price points for the flanks.
They have already moved to strengthen the frontline with a €40 million (£34m) agreement for Brazilian attacker Allan from Palmeiras, sealed on Monday. But with Savinho gone and the schedule relentless, City want more firepower.
Midfield exodus forces major rebuild
The story at the Etihad is not just about wingers. It is about a midfield being ripped up and rebuilt in a single window.
Nico Gonzalez is closing in on a move to Newcastle, another significant departure from a core that has defined City’s recent dominance. He is set to follow Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders out of the club, a remarkable sequence of exits from the heart of the pitch.
City’s response has been aggressive. Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has already arrived in Manchester to complete his €100m switch from Lille, a statement signing both in fee and profile.
And they are still not done. Interest remains strong in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, with City closely tracking the Argentinian’s situation in London as the deadline creeps closer. If Chelsea’s stance softens, City are poised to move.
Final days, big decisions
The final stretch of the window now looks decisive for City’s shape this season. They want at least one more midfielder, they want another winger, and they want the flexibility to rotate without losing quality.
Gakpo sits firmly in that conversation. So do Neto and others on their shortlist. As the hours run down, the question is simple: will Liverpool’s own transfer business unlock the door for City to bring another Anfield star to the Etihad?
