Cody Gakpo Transfer: Will Tottenham Secure Liverpool's Star?

Tottenham have already thrown their weight around this summer. Around £230m spent, six new faces through the door – Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka – and a clear message sent to the rest of the Premier League.

But the rebuild is not finished. Not even close.

Ange Postecoglou’s side, still short of cutting edge in the final third, want at least one more attacker. A winger. Maybe a striker. Ideally both. And now, one of the most intriguing names on their list has moved from fantasy to feasible: Cody Gakpo.

Spurs circle as Liverpool soften

For weeks, Liverpool’s stance on Gakpo looked rigid. The Dutchman, coming off a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, remained important simply because the squad is thin in wide areas. Mohamed Salah’s long-term successor has not yet arrived, and that reality has kept the door bolted.

Then the market shifted.

Liverpool secured Victor Munoz earlier in the window and have accelerated their push for Bradley Barcola and another PSG player, with one of those pursuits now given the green light. That change has had a knock-on effect.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the door that was “closed back in July” is now ajar. Spurs are in “direct talks” with Gakpo’s camp over a move, with the transfer hinging on two clear conditions: Liverpool’s final decision on their Barcola chase, and the financial package Tottenham are prepared to put on the table.

The pressure is simple. If Liverpool land the wide reinforcements they want, and Spurs pay up, Gakpo can go.

Liverpool’s price and Tottenham’s dilemma

Gakpo is not a distressed asset. He has four years left on his Liverpool contract, and that security gives the Merseyside club all the leverage they need.

The benchmark has been set. Internally, Liverpool are using Anthony Gordon’s £69m switch from Newcastle United to FC Barcelona as the yardstick. The figure for Gakpo? Around £72m.

For Tottenham, already deep into a heavy-spending window, that is a serious decision point. Pay near Gordon money for a player who underwhelmed last season but still offers size, versatility and a proven goal threat? Or pivot to cheaper, less established options?

Manchester City’s Savinho is also on Spurs’ radar for the wing, but City are in no rush to weaken their own depth before lining up replacements. The market is tight. Quality wide players are expensive. And that is exactly why Liverpool feel comfortable holding firm.

Right now, the Gakpo deal lives in that familiar modern transfer limbo: talks active, door open, but everything dictated by numbers and timing.

Striker search: Jackson, Marmoush and the Villa threat

The Gakpo chase is only one strand of Tottenham’s attacking plan.

Romano has revealed that Spurs are also “exploring the possibility of signing a striker this summer” and have discussed several names internally. One of those is Omar Marmoush, a profile that fits the club’s push for mobility and work rate at the top end of the pitch.

Nicolas Jackson, though widely linked in the last 24 hours, is not close. Not yet. Romano is clear: he is “not a priority” for Spurs and there are “no advanced negotiations.” Jackson is on the list, nothing more.

His situation is complicated further by Aston Villa.

Unai Emery’s side see Jackson as one of their priority attacking targets. They have already taken Alejandro Garnacho on loan from Chelsea, which blocks them from signing another Chelsea player on loan in this window. Any move for Jackson must therefore be permanent, with the fee and structure likely to decide whether Villa can actually pull it off.

What Villa do have is a card Tottenham cannot play: Emery’s personal relationship with Jackson. The pair worked together at Villarreal and maintain an excellent understanding. Emery, by all accounts, would relish a reunion.

If Chelsea open the door to a sale, Villa will be ready. Spurs, for now, are watching rather than leading that particular race.

A window defined by one big swing

Tottenham’s summer already looks transformative. Tonali in midfield, Robertson and Senesi reinforcing the back line, depth added across the pitch. But the narrative of this window will be written by what happens next in attack.

Do Spurs push their chips in on Cody Gakpo at Liverpool’s price, trusting that a fresh environment and a front-foot system will unlock the player PSV once built their attack around? Or do they walk away, spread the funds on multiple pieces, and accept a more incremental step forward?

Liverpool, meanwhile, are balancing their own equation. Secure Barcola and a second PSG signing, and they can afford to cash in on a misfiring wide forward at a premium fee. Miss out, and Gakpo’s sale becomes far less likely.

Two conditions. One door. And a Tottenham project that suddenly feels one bold decision away from either catching fire or stalling just short of something special.