Manchester United Eye Cody Gakpo Amid Tottenham Interest

Cody Gakpo’s Liverpool career has never quite matched the noise that greeted his arrival. Now his name is back on the market’s lips – with Manchester United lurking in the background and Tottenham Hotspur moving into position.

The Dutch forward is coming off a flat domestic season at Anfield. Nine goals and six assists in 52 games is a long way from the 18 goals and seven assists he produced in 49 outings the year before. For a player signed to spearhead a new-look Liverpool attack, that drop-off matters.

On the biggest stage, though, he reminded everyone why the Premier League’s elite chased him in the first place. At the World Cup he hit three goals and one assist in four matches, carrying a threat and swagger that never quite translated into his club form last term, even as the Netherlands crashed out in a shock round-of-32 defeat to Morocco.

Liverpool, for their part, need the sharper version of Gakpo to reappear. With Hugo Ekitike sidelined until at least January after rupturing his Achilles, and Alexander Isak requiring support through the middle, the 27-year-old is being looked at as a potential option in the centre-forward role as well as from the left. This is not a squad flush with ready-made, peak-age forwards. Gakpo is supposed to be one of the answers.

Yet his name continues to swirl in transfer talk. Tottenham have placed him on their winger shortlist. Manchester United, long-term admirers, are being linked with a move that would rip up one of English football’s unwritten rules: you don’t cross the Liverpool–United divide lightly.

Ben Jacobs, speaking to The United Stand, underlined both the attraction and the obstacle.

“He has always been somewhat appreciated, but we know that Man Utd and Liverpool just don’t really do business,” he said, capturing the reality of a rivalry that rarely extends to the negotiating table.

“So, whether or not that could possibly get off the ground, I’m not so sure.

“There are denials, despite recent reports in the Netherlands, that Gakpo has asked in any way, shape, or form to leave.

“So, Liverpool are quite calm about the situation, but Tottenham might consider that deal. And all we can say is Man Utd loved Gakpo before he joined Liverpool.

“If Gakpo specifically asks to leave Liverpool, then let’s see whether Premier League clubs come forward. And it seems like Tottenham are the most concrete suitor.”

That last line is the key. United’s interest is real, long-standing and, for some at Old Trafford, still raw.

Erik ten Hag had pushed hard for Gakpo in 2022, identifying him as PSV’s standout talent and a natural fit for his rebuild. United hesitated. Liverpool didn’t. They moved decisively that December, striking a £35m deal and parading a player many at Carrington thought should have been theirs.

Since then, United have kept an eye on him, tracking his adaptation to the Premier League and his fluctuating form. But the sense now is that if Gakpo does walk through a new door in England, it is far more likely to be the one at Hotspur Way than the one at Carrington.

Tottenham’s Interest

Tottenham’s interest is concrete, their shortlist clear. Gakpo sits in a group that also features Rafael Leao, Savinho and Antonio Nusa as they search for a wide forward who can both score and create, and ease the load on their existing attacking core. In that context, a 27-year-old with Premier League experience and a proven international record becomes a compelling option.

Liverpool’s stance is pragmatic rather than desperate. They are not actively touting Gakpo around. There is no fire sale, no scramble to offload. But every player has a price, and for Gakpo that figure sits at around £70m. An offer at that level would force serious consideration at Anfield.

So the picture is set. A player who has flickered rather than burned in red, a club willing to listen at the right number, a Tottenham side ready to move, and a Manchester United hierarchy still haunted by the one that got away.

If Gakpo does decide he wants out and makes that clear, the real contest begins. Will Liverpool cash in on a player they once stole from under United’s nose, only to watch him line up for a domestic rival? Or will they back his talent and demand he finally delivers the season his potential has been promising for years?