Cody Gakpo appears to be on the verge of leaving Liverpool for Manchester City, dealing a significant setback to Tottenham Hotspur's summer recruitment plans, according to reporting from David Ornstein.
The Dutch forward had reportedly been weighing up three possible paths as the transfer window entered its closing stages: remaining at Anfield, joining Spurs, or switching to the Etihad Stadium. Sources indicate Gakpo has now settled on City as his next destination, leaving Tottenham to look elsewhere despite their strong interest in the 27-year-old.
The development represents a notable twist in a busy period of business for both Manchester clubs and Tottenham. City had already sold Savio to Spurs for a fee in the region of £75million, and the north London club had subsequently viewed Gakpo as a priority target to strengthen their attacking options. However, City moved swiftly in response to their own departures, identifying the Liverpool forward as a replacement option up front.
Gakpo's arrival would help address a gap in Pep Guardiola's squad following the exit of Omar Marmoush, who has joined Savio in moving to Tottenham. That deal was initially structured as a loan but includes an obligation to make the transfer permanent for £50million once certain conditions are met. With Marmoush gone, City are understood to be short of attacking depth through the middle, an area where Gakpo could provide cover given his ability to operate both centrally and from wide positions.
Since joining Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven, Gakpo has predominantly featured on the left side of the Reds' attack, though he has also shown he can lead the line as a central striker when required. That versatility is thought to have been a key factor in City's decision to pursue him as they look to reshape their forward options following Marmoush's departure.
Reports suggest Gakpo has already reached an agreement on personal terms with City, who are now working to finalize the specifics of a transfer with Liverpool, a deal that would see one Premier League club sell a key attacking asset directly to a domestic rival.
Liverpool's willingness to let Gakpo go is closely tied to their own incoming business. The Reds have reportedly agreed a deal with Paris Saint-Germain to sign Bradley Barcola, a player who has been described as their primary attacking target of the summer window. That transfer is said to be worth up to £123million, underlining the scale of Liverpool's ambitions to reshape their forward line even as several key figures depart.
Should the move go through, Gakpo would become the latest in a long line of high-profile exits from Anfield this summer. Liverpool have already seen Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson, and Mohamed Salah leave the club on free transfers, while midfielder Curtis Jones completed a switch to Inter Milan. The scale of turnover at Liverpool this summer reflects a broader overhaul of the squad, even as the club works to bring in significant reinforcements of their own.
For Tottenham, missing out on Gakpo means a rethink of their forward-line targets, having already strengthened elsewhere through the additions of Savio and Marmoush. As the transfer window nears its conclusion, all parties will be working quickly to complete their business, with City's pursuit of Gakpo now appearing close to a successful conclusion.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.