Cody Gakpo Transfer: Will Tottenham Pay £72m?
Tottenham have already thrown their weight around this summer. Around £230m has gone on Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka. That is not a rebuild, it is a reset.
And yet, the attack still feels unfinished.
Ange Postecoglou’s side want at least one more forward – a winger, a striker, or ideally both – before the window shuts. At the top of the wide-forward shortlist sit two names that say plenty about Spurs’ ambition: Cody Gakpo and Savinho. Both belong to clubs who do not need to sell. Both would require serious money.
Now, one of those doors has creaked open.
Liverpool Soften on Gakpo – With Strings Attached
Liverpool’s stance on Gakpo has shifted. Quietly, but decisively.
The Dutchman endured a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, one of several underperformers in a Liverpool side that never quite found its rhythm. Even so, the club have treated him as part of their core attacking group, especially given how light they are in the wide areas and the ongoing search for a long-term Mohamed Salah successor.
They have already brought in Victor Munoz this summer, but that alone does not solve the Salah problem. So the recruitment team have accelerated work on other options, pushing ahead with a move for Bradley Barcola and another PSG player as they try to reshape the front line.
That is where Tottenham come in.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Spurs are now in direct talks with Gakpo’s camp over a possible move. The discussions, which began with initial approaches in July, have moved into a more serious phase. Back then, Liverpool shut the door. Now, it is ajar – but only on two conditions.
First, the financial package. With four years left on Gakpo’s contract, Liverpool know they hold the leverage. They have set their sights on a fee in the region of £72m, using Anthony Gordon’s £69m switch from Newcastle United to FC Barcelona as a reference point. Anything significantly below that, and the door swings shut again.
Second, the Barcola pursuit. Liverpool want clarity on their incoming business before they sign off on a major outgoing. If they land Barcola and progress on their other PSG target, the need to keep Gakpo eases. If those deals stall, Liverpool are far less likely to sanction his departure.
As Romano put it, the deal “depends on Liverpool decision” and is tied directly to the “financial package/Barcola pursuit.” Tottenham are pushing. Liverpool are waiting to see how their own puzzle fits together.
For Spurs, it is a test of how far they are willing to go to complete their attacking jigsaw. For Liverpool, it is a question of risk: cash in on an underperforming asset now, or gamble on a revival in a retooled front line.
Spurs’ Striker Hunt: Names on the Table, But No Breakthrough
While the Gakpo situation develops, Tottenham are working another front. The club are exploring the market for a striker, sounding out options across Europe and the Premier League.
Inside the recruitment meetings, several names have come up. One of them is Omar Marmoush, who has been discussed internally as a possible fit for Postecoglou’s high-energy, front-foot football.
Nicolas Jackson’s name has also been floated, but the noise around him has outstripped the reality. Romano has made it clear: there is nothing close, nothing imminent between Tottenham and Chelsea’s forward. Jackson is not a priority target for Spurs, and there are no advanced negotiations. For now, he is simply one of several profiles under consideration.
If Jackson does move, the more serious pressure may come from elsewhere in the Premier League.
Villa, Emery and the Jackson Factor
Aston Villa have made Jackson a priority target. That alone changes the landscape.
Unai Emery knows the striker well from their time together at Villarreal. The relationship is strong, the admiration mutual, and Emery would welcome the chance to work with him again. That kind of personal connection often tilts transfer battles.
Villa, though, have to navigate their own financial boundaries. They have already taken Alejandro Garnacho on loan from Chelsea, which blocks them from bringing in another Chelsea player on loan this window. Any deal for Jackson would have to be permanent, and the final call will rest on whether Villa can stretch their budget far enough to make it happen.
So Jackson’s future hangs between ambition and arithmetic. Spurs watch from a distance, interested but not committed. Villa push harder, but must count every pound.
Spurs at a Crossroads in the Market
Tottenham have already transformed their squad with heavy investment. The next move, however, could define their season.
Do they meet Liverpool’s demands and build their attack around a £72m swing for Cody Gakpo, trusting that a change of scenery and a more expansive system will unlock the player he promised to be at PSV? Or do they pivot, chase a different profile, and spread the money across multiple deals?
Liverpool, for their part, must decide how much faith they still place in Gakpo at Anfield – and how quickly they can secure the likes of Bradley Barcola to justify a sale.
The clock is ticking. One decision at the top of the pitch, in north London or on Merseyside, could reshape the Premier League’s attacking hierarchy before the window slams shut.
