Tottenham's Ambitious Plans for Cody Gakpo and Midfield Reinforcements

Tottenham are already building in Roberto De Zerbi’s image. The defence has been the first construction site, with three new arrivals through the door, but the Italian is not stopping there. The next phase of the project is clear: reshape the spine, sharpen the attack, and land a headline name.

The club have already tested the market with intent. A £75million bid for Sandro Tonali has been knocked back by Newcastle United, a firm reminder that top-tier central midfielders do not come cheap and certainly not easily. Spurs remain active in that area, with West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes also on their radar as De Zerbi looks for a controller who can live comfortably on the ball and dictate tempo.

Higher up the pitch, the recruitment drive becomes even more ambitious. Talks are ongoing with Manchester City over a move for Savinho, a player who fits De Zerbi’s taste for direct, technical wide forwards. But it is another name, from within the Premier League, that gives this pursuit a different edge.

Cody Gakpo.

Tottenham have been linked with a move for the Liverpool forward, a player who quietly became one of Arne Slot’s most trusted starters last season. Gakpo, 27, missed only two Premier League games through injury and started 32 of his 36 league appearances. Seven goals, five assists, and a steady rhythm of end product — a goal involvement roughly every three matches. Not spectacular on paper, but reliable, versatile, and tactically intelligent.

Right now, he is showcasing that on the biggest stage. Ronald Koeman named him in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico, and Gakpo has hit the ground running. In their second group game, a 5-1 dismantling of Sweden, he scored twice and set up another, underlining why top clubs are circling.

Those performances only complicate Liverpool’s dilemma.

Gakpo’s future at Anfield is uncertain, with reports indicating the club are open to listening to offers this summer. Liverpool paid between £35million and £45million to sign him in January 2023 and, if they do decide to cash in, will expect to at least recoup that fee and likely turn a profit.

They are negotiating from a position of strength. Gakpo signed a new contract last summer, understood to be worth around £250,000 a week, tying him to the club for another four years. That deal hands Liverpool full control over any potential exit: no pressure to sell, no looming contract expiry, no cut-price bargains.

What Gakpo does at this World Cup only drives the price higher. Each goal, each assist, each standout display for the Netherlands gives Liverpool another argument in any boardroom conversation. Spurs may want to make a statement, but the market knows exactly what kind of player they are chasing.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the interest from north London. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he explained that Tottenham are among the clubs exploring whether there is a realistic route to a deal for Gakpo this summer. For now, Liverpool have not given the green light to any departure and remain very happy with the Dutchman.

Timing is everything. With Gakpo fully engaged in a World Cup campaign and Liverpool in no rush to decide his fate, this is unlikely to be a quick saga. Romano stressed that a move is not one for “today or tomorrow”, and that Liverpool will face a decision only once the tournament dust settles.

So Spurs wait, watch, and plan. De Zerbi has his defensive reinforcements. The midfield hunt is alive. And up front, Cody Gakpo stands as the kind of signing that would say as much about Tottenham’s ambition as it would about Liverpool’s readiness to reshape their own attack.