Tottenham's Pursuit of Cody Gakpo: A New Era Begins

Roberto De Zerbi has wasted no time reshaping Tottenham in his own image. The defence has already been ripped up and rebuilt with three new arrivals, and now the Italian has turned his gaze towards the sharp end of the pitch.

Spurs want a marquee name to front this new era. They have already had a £75million offer for Sandro Tonali rejected by Newcastle United, a bid that underlined the scale of their ambition in midfield. West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is also on the radar as De Zerbi looks for more control and personality in the centre of the park.

But the real noise is coming higher up the pitch.

Gakpo enters the frame

Tottenham are in talks with Manchester City over Savinho, a move designed to inject pace and unpredictability into their attack. Now another, more established, name has emerged: Cody Gakpo.

At 27, Gakpo is not a prospect. He is a fully formed, high-level forward entering his prime. For Liverpool last season he was a near ever-present in the Premier League, missing only two matches through injury and starting 32 of his 36 appearances under Arne Slot. Seven goals, five assists, and a direct goal contribution roughly every three games tell part of the story. The rest is in his versatility and work rate, attributes De Zerbi values heavily.

His stock is rising again on the international stage. Selected by Ronald Koeman for the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico, Gakpo has started the tournament with purpose and conviction. He has already scored twice and provided an assist in a 5-1 dismantling of Sweden in the group stage, the kind of performance that tends to catch the eye of sporting directors across Europe.

Liverpool hold the cards

All of this comes at a delicate moment for his Liverpool future. There have been suggestions that the club are open to listening to offers this summer. They paid between £35million and £45million to sign him in January 2023 and, if they do sell, will expect not just to recoup that fee but to turn a clear profit.

Liverpool are in a strong position to demand it. Gakpo signed a new deal only last summer, believed to be worth around £250,000 per week, tying him to Anfield for another four years. With that contract length and his World Cup form, the leverage sits firmly on Merseyside.

Every impressive display for the Netherlands nudges his valuation upwards. Every goal, every assist, strengthens Liverpool’s hand in any negotiation.

Spurs interest, but no green light yet

For now, Tottenham are circling rather than closing. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Spurs are among the clubs exploring a move for Gakpo, testing whether there is a realistic route to a deal. The interest is concrete; the pathway is not.

Liverpool have yet to give any green light to a sale. The message from Anfield, for the moment, is that they remain happy with Gakpo and are in no rush to push him towards the exit. With the World Cup in full swing, no immediate resolution is expected. This is not a transfer that will be decided “today or tomorrow.”

So Tottenham wait, watching a forward who fits the profile De Zerbi craves: intelligent, flexible, and proven at the highest level. If Gakpo keeps lighting up the World Cup and Liverpool eventually choose to cash in, Spurs will be ready.

The question is simple: when the decision finally lands on Merseyside, will Tottenham be willing to pay the price that Gakpo’s performances are rapidly setting?