Tottenham's Pursuit of Cody Gakpo Amid Transfer Drama

Tottenham refuse to let Cody Gakpo go quiet.

Even with a £140m double deal for Omar Marmoush and Savinho on the brink of completion, Spurs are still pushing to prise the Dutchman away from Liverpool, with Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein both lifting the lid on a transfer tug of war that could run right to deadline day.

Spurs won’t drop Gakpo – even after Marmoush and Savinho

Gakpo arrived at Anfield from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and, for long stretches, looked every inch a Liverpool forward: sharp between the lines, clean in front of goal, tactically obedient. Last season’s dip raised questions, but it has not killed his market.

Liverpool’s rebuild has changed the mood around him. Victor Munoz is already through the door, and the club are straining to add Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh before the window shuts. With serious money needed to fund that level of refresh, Gakpo’s name naturally sits near the top of the “saleable assets” list.

The player is not behaving like someone desperate to go. He has impressed in pre-season, fighting to grab Andoni Iraola’s attention, and the new Liverpool boss is understood to be open to keeping him if other wide targets fall through.

Behind the scenes, though, the conversation is very different.

Romano says talks have already taken place over a move to north London and insists Spurs are still firmly at the table.

“Don’t forget Cody Gakpo,” he said on his YouTube channel. “Savinho is going to Tottenham today in London for medical tests and contract signing.

“Omar Marmoush is expected to go to Tottenham as a centre striker, and he’s a target that is going to probably happen in the next few days, as I told you.

“But I told you always, right winger, left winger, centre striker. This was what I told you about Tottenham.

“And for the left winger, the name remains Cody Gakpo.

“Tottenham are working on it. Tottenham are working on the player side. Player terms are not an issue.

“And then Tottenham remain absolutely on it, on the club side with Liverpool.

“So Gakpo, Liverpool could be over in the next few days if the total fee can be agreed. Watch out for that one until the end.”

The message is clear: Marmoush to lead the line, Savinho to add thrust from wide, and Gakpo pencilled in as the marquee left-sided option if Liverpool blink on the fee.

Liverpool’s Gakpo dilemma hinges on Barcola

Ornstein paints a club torn between sporting logic and financial reality. For Liverpool, Gakpo’s future is tied directly to whether they can pull Barcola out of PSG.

“Liverpool are prioritising [Barcola], there’s no doubt about it. If they can get him from PSG, then I think we’ll see Gakpo leave,” he told TNT Sports. “If they don’t get him in from PSG, I think they’ll happily keep Gakpo.

“[Andoni] Iraola really likes him. It’ll all come down to the fee with PSG, and the gap is too big at the moment.”

So the chain is obvious. If PSG soften on Barcola, Gakpo suddenly becomes available and Tottenham’s long-running interest turns into a live, late-window story. If PSG hold firm, Iraola keeps a forward he trusts and Spurs have to look elsewhere for that left-sided cutting edge.

Liverpool are also deep in talks for Minteh. A strong update on Saturday morning has given them real confidence: they know Brighton’s likely asking price and, crucially, they have a green light from the player’s side.

“It definitely stands a chance, but if the numbers are not right for Liverpool, I hear that they have another option they’re weighing up and could pivot to if it doesn’t suit them with Minteh,” Ornstein added. “I’m not ruling it out, of course.

“Brighton know he’s a coveted talent, so they want in excess of £70 million with add-ons, and I’m not sure Liverpool will want to go quite that far, but I really like the look of this player, and I think he could go to a level we’ve not seen so far.

“The injury is a concern, but if you’re so convinced by the talent, you could probably take the risk.”

So Liverpool juggle three major wide options – Barcola, Minteh, and the in-house certainty of Gakpo – with Tottenham lurking, ready to capitalise if the numbers and the dominoes fall their way.

Can Minteh really follow Salah?

Not everyone is convinced Liverpool’s targets can immediately carry the weight of replacing Mohamed Salah.

TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney sounded a note of caution over Minteh’s readiness to fill the Egyptian’s boots on the right.

“If you’re looking to replace [Mohamed] Salah, he isn’t going to be ready to jump into that mould,” she said. “He’s 22, young and extremely quick and explosive, certainly an Iraola type of player, but you question whether he’s fit and ready to go.

“Barcola is a very good player, still raw. I think he can be more clinical, but he’s won two Champions Leagues and is a French international, so I think he fits the bill.”

That assessment only sharpens the stakes. Liverpool must decide whether to cash in on Gakpo to fund a winger they believe can grow into a Salah-level influence, while Tottenham wait for their moment, convinced that the Dutchman can be the wide forward to transform their own attack.

If PSG and Brighton hold their ground and Liverpool hesitate, does Gakpo stay and fight for his place under Iraola? Or does Tottenham’s persistence finally rip open a door that has been creaking all summer?