Cody Gakpo Transfer: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United’s long-standing admiration for Cody Gakpo is back in the spotlight, with the Liverpool forward once again brushing up against the Old Trafford rumour mill. The prospect is incendiary: a player who chose Anfield over United in 2022 now being linked with a move across one of English football’s fiercest divides.
The reality is more complex. And right now, Tottenham are closer to the front of the queue than United.
From PSV star to mixed Liverpool return
Gakpo arrived at Liverpool from PSV as one of Europe’s most exciting wide forwards, a player United, then under Erik ten Hag, had pushed hard to sign. Ten Hag wanted him badly in 2022, seeing him as the natural next step after his breakout in Eindhoven.
United hesitated. Liverpool did not. A £35m agreement was wrapped up in December that year, and Gakpo walked through the doors at Anfield the following month.
Two seasons on, the picture is not as straightforward as Liverpool would have hoped. Domestically last term, Gakpo’s numbers dipped: nine goals and six assists in 52 appearances, down from 18 goals and seven assists in 49 games the previous season. For a player expected to explode, that felt like a stall.
On the biggest stage, though, he reminded everyone why the elite chased him in the first place. At the World Cup, the Dutchman struck three goals and added an assist in four matches, dragging the Netherlands through the group phase before their shock round-of-32 exit to Morocco. When the lights burned brightest, he responded.
Liverpool’s dilemma and a new role
Liverpool now need that World Cup version of Gakpo to turn up over an entire club season. With attacking responsibilities shifting and the squad evolving, his role could become even more central.
There is a growing expectation he may spend more time through the middle to ease the burden on Alexander Isak. Hugo Ekitike’s ruptured Achilles, which will keep him sidelined until at least January, only sharpens that need for a reliable central option.
So Liverpool find themselves in a familiar modern dilemma: a valuable asset whose output has been uneven, but whose ceiling remains high. They are not actively looking to cash in. Yet a serious bid, somewhere around £70m, would force a conversation.
United interest real, but Spurs move first
Into that uncertainty steps United. Or at least, the idea of United.
Speaking to The United Stand, reporter Ben Jacobs underlined that Gakpo has been on United’s radar for years.
“He has always been somewhat appreciated, but we know that Man Utd and Liverpool just don’t really do business,” Jacobs said, cutting straight to the heart of the issue.
That rivalry is not just emotional. It is practical. Direct transfers between the two clubs are almost non-existent, and Jacobs made clear why this link remains more fantasy than firm negotiation.
“So, whether or not that could possibly get off the ground, I’m not so sure,” he added.
For now, Liverpool are calm. Despite recent reports in the Netherlands, there are denials that Gakpo has asked to leave “in any way, shape, or form.” No transfer request, no public push. Just a talented forward preparing for a pivotal season.
The noise, though, is not coming from Manchester. It is coming from north London.
Tottenham have placed Gakpo firmly on their winger shortlist and, as it stands, are the most concrete suitor. They are weighing him up alongside Rafael Leao, Savinho and Antonio Nusa as they look to sharpen their attacking edge.
“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,” Jacobs said.
That line matters. For anything serious to develop, the first move has to come from the player.
United watching, Spurs circling
United, for their part, have never really taken their eyes off Gakpo since losing out to Liverpool in 2022. The admiration that Ten Hag pushed internally has not disappeared, even with the managerial situation at Old Trafford changing.
But admiration is not action. With the historical frostiness between the two clubs and no sign of agitation from the player, a United–Liverpool deal still feels a world away.
Tottenham, by contrast, see opportunity. They sense a market opening if Gakpo decides he wants a new chapter and Liverpool receive the kind of offer that tests their resolve.
Liverpool’s stance is clear enough: they will listen at around £70m. Below that, the conversation is short.
So the pieces are set. A forward with something to prove, a club that may need him more centrally than ever, a London side ready to move, and a rival from Manchester quietly lurking in the background.
If Cody Gakpo does decide he wants out of Anfield, who really has the nerve – and the cash – to turn long-term admiration into a deal that would reshape the Premier League’s attacking landscape?
