Tottenham’s £72m Gamble on Cody Gakpo: Liverpool's Conditions
Tottenham have already torn up the script of a quiet summer. Around £230m spent, six major signings through the door, and still they keep pushing. The next move could be the boldest yet: a raid on Liverpool for Cody Gakpo.
And, as Fabrizio Romano has revealed, the door at Anfield is no longer locked. Just bolted with two very clear conditions.
Spurs push on after £230m splurge
This has not been a window for half-measures in north London. Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka have already arrived, a spine and a supporting cast rebuilt in one sweeping burst of ambition.
Yet Andoni Iraola is not done. Tottenham want more firepower. At least one attacker is expected before the window shuts – a winger, a striker, or both if the numbers add up.
On the flanks, two names sit high on their list: Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Manchester City’s Savinho. Both clubs, though, have been reluctant to weaken themselves without replacements lined up. Liverpool in particular have walked a tightrope in wide areas.
Liverpool’s stance begins to shift
Gakpo endured a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, part of a wider Liverpool attacking unit that never fully convinced. Even so, he remained protected by circumstance: the Reds are already light in wide positions and still searching for a long-term answer to the looming Mohamed Salah succession.
Victor Munoz has arrived, but he is not the complete solution. That is why Liverpool initially shut the door on Gakpo’s departure in July.
Now the landscape looks different.
Liverpool have accelerated their pursuit of Bradley Barcola and another PSG player, with one of those targets receiving the green light. That activity has loosened their grip on Gakpo. Not released, not yet, but no longer untouchable.
Romano reports that Tottenham are “in direct talks with Cody Gakpo’s camp” over a possible move this summer, negotiations that stem from approaches made in July. The deal, he stresses, hinges on two factors: Liverpool’s final decision on their financial demands and the outcome of their chase for Barcola.
If the Barcola deal lands and the money is right, Liverpool are prepared to talk. If not, the door slams shut again.
Liverpool hold the cards – and the price
For now, the power sits with Anfield. Gakpo has four years left on his contract, giving Liverpool no urgency to sell and plenty of leverage at the table.
Reports this week suggest the asking price stands at around £72m, with Liverpool using Anthony Gordon’s £69m switch from Newcastle United to FC Barcelona as a benchmark. In a market where wide forwards command premium fees, that figure is designed to test Tottenham’s resolve as much as their budget.
Tottenham have already committed heavily this summer. One more marquee deal at that level would be a statement not just of ambition, but of absolute trust in Iraola’s attacking blueprint.
Striker hunt runs alongside Gakpo chase
While Gakpo and Savinho headline the wide options, Spurs are also quietly working the centre-forward market. Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, confirmed that Tottenham are “exploring the possibility of signing a striker this summer” and have discussed several names internally.
Omar Marmoush is among those under consideration.
Nicolas Jackson’s name has also been floated in recent days, but Romano moved quickly to cool the noise. There is “nothing close or imminent” between Tottenham and Jackson, he explained. The Chelsea forward is not a priority, and no advanced negotiations are in place. He is one of many names on a long list, nothing more at this stage.
Aston Villa, by contrast, are far more serious about Jackson. They view him as one of their priority targets, but their pursuit is tangled in financial and regulatory realities. Having already taken Alejandro Garnacho on loan from Chelsea, Villa cannot bring in another Chelsea player on loan in this window. Any move for Jackson would need to be permanent, and the fee will decide whether that interest becomes a bid.
Unai Emery’s relationship with Jackson, forged at Villarreal, adds another layer. Emery rates him highly and would welcome a reunion, but admiration alone does not pay the transfer bill.
Spurs at a crossroads
So Tottenham stand at an intriguing point in their rebuild. A winger like Gakpo, at £72m, would reshape the front line and signal that this is not a squad being tweaked, but transformed. At the same time, the search for a striker continues in the background, with Marmoush and others under the microscope.
Liverpool, juggling their own transition, must decide whether Barcola’s arrival and a hefty fee justify losing a player they once saw as central to their next phase.
If the Barcola pursuit lands and the financial package satisfies Anfield, Cody Gakpo could walk through the door at Hotspur Way as the final flourish of Tottenham’s summer. If not, Spurs will have to find that extra attacking spark somewhere else – and quickly.
