Tottenham's Pursuit of Cody Gakpo Intensifies Amid £140m Spending Spree
Tottenham refuse to let Cody Gakpo go quiet.
Even with a £140m double swoop for Omar Marmoush and Savinho on the verge of completion, Spurs are still pushing to prise the Dutch winger from Liverpool, with Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein both outlining how delicate – and decisive – the next few days could be.
Spurs won’t drop Gakpo – even after £140m spree
Gakpo arrived at Anfield from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and, across his time on Merseyside, has largely impressed despite a clear dip last season. He has responded this summer with sharp pre-season form, fighting to convince new boss Andoni Iraola he deserves a central role in the new Liverpool era.
Iraola is open to that outcome. If Liverpool’s other attacking plans stall, he is happy to keep Gakpo. The problem for the Reds is that their transfer strategy is moving quickly.
Liverpool have already secured Victor Munoz and are throwing energy into deals for Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh before the window shuts. Those pursuits have dragged Gakpo’s future into the spotlight, with the club understood to be open to a sale at the right price to help balance the books.
Behind the scenes, discussions over a move to north London have taken place. Spurs, despite closing in on Marmoush as a centre-forward and Savinho as a wide option from Manchester City, still see Gakpo as a key piece of their attacking rebuild.
Romano underlined that stance on his YouTube channel, making it clear the story is very much alive.
“Don’t forget Cody Gakpo,” he warned. Savinho is flying into London for medicals and to sign, Marmoush is “expected to go to Tottenham as a centre striker” in the coming days, but the left-wing slot on their shopping list still carries one name: Gakpo.
According to Romano, Tottenham are already working on the player side of the deal and personal terms are “not an issue”. The real battle lies between the clubs. Spurs remain “absolutely on it” with Liverpool, with Romano suggesting Gakpo’s time at Anfield “could be over in the next few days” if a total fee is agreed.
For now, the move sits in that familiar transfer limbo: advanced enough to be serious, fragile enough to collapse with a single change of direction.
Liverpool’s Gakpo dilemma hinges on Barcola
Ornstein’s information adds another layer. For Liverpool, Gakpo is not simply surplus to requirements; his future is tied directly to whether they can land Barcola from PSG.
“Liverpool are prioritising [Barcola], there’s no doubt about it,” Ornstein told TNT Sports. If they manage to pull him out of Paris, he expects Gakpo to leave. If they fail, Liverpool will “happily keep Gakpo”, with Iraola a firm admirer of the Dutchman’s profile and versatility.
The sticking point sits with PSG’s valuation. Ornstein says “the gap is too big at the moment” between what Liverpool are prepared to pay and what the French champions want. Until that shifts, Gakpo remains in a holding pattern – a key player, yet also a potential sacrifice.
At the same time, Liverpool are pushing hard for Minteh. A strong update on Saturday morning left the club confident a deal is possible after they learned Brighton’s likely asking price and received a clear green light from the player’s side.
“It definitely stands a chance,” Ornstein said, though he stressed Liverpool will not abandon their financial discipline. If the numbers on Minteh are not right, they have another unnamed option they are ready to pivot to.
Brighton, fully aware of Minteh’s rising stock, want more than £70m including add-ons. That figure gives Liverpool pause. Ornstein admires Minteh’s potential and believes he can reach a level “we’ve not seen so far”, but he also flagged the player’s injury as a concern. Clubs convinced by the talent may still decide that risk is worth taking.
Can Minteh really follow Salah?
Not everyone is convinced Minteh should be the man to inherit the right flank from Mohamed Salah.
TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney questioned whether he is ready to step into that role immediately. At 22, Minteh is “young and extremely quick and explosive”, very much an Iraola-type player in terms of intensity and directness, but Carney doubts he is yet prepared to “jump into that mould” as Salah’s heir.
She also weighed in on Barcola, describing him as “a very good player, still raw” who “can be more clinical”, but highlighting his pedigree: two Champions League titles and a place in the France national team. For Carney, that profile “fits the bill” for what Liverpool are trying to build.
So Liverpool juggle three major calls: how far to push for Barcola, whether to stretch for Minteh, and when – or if – to cash in on Gakpo.
Tottenham, meanwhile, wait with intent. Marmoush is coming. Savinho is coming. And if Liverpool open the door, Gakpo could yet be the statement wide forward that turns Spurs’ attacking rebuild from ambitious to ruthless.
