Spurs Target Gakpo as Liverpool Weigh Options
Tottenham’s summer of heavy spending shows no sign of slowing, and the next move could be the most audacious yet: a push to prise Cody Gakpo away from Liverpool.
Roberto De Zerbi has already torn into Spurs’ squad structure, pouring money into midfield and defence, but he has been clear from the outset. He wants at least one wide attacker, and he wants a “bomba”.
Spurs circle Gakpo as Liverpool weigh their options
Gakpo has emerged as a prime target. The Netherlands international is one of the more seasoned forwards in Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool squad, trusted both out wide and as cover through the middle. That versatility has grown even more valuable while Hugo Ekitike continues his rehab from an Achilles injury.
So this is not a straightforward raid. Liverpool are not prepared to let Gakpo walk out of the door without a replacement lined up. He has four years left on his contract, and with that security comes a predictable consequence: he will not come cheap.
Liverpool’s recruitment team are expected to make a formal move for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola. He is 23, explosive, and rated extremely highly in Paris. PSG’s valuation – around £145m – underlines how complex that pursuit could become. Only if Liverpool can make progress there does a Gakpo exit even begin to look realistic.
And even then, the knock-on effect would be stark. Should Gakpo leave and Barcola arrive, Iraola would be left with teenager Rio Ngumoha and new signing Victor Munoz as the other natural wing options. It would be a bold reshaping of Liverpool’s attacking depth, not a minor tweak.
Savinho on the radar as De Zerbi hunts his “bomba”
Gakpo is not the only name on Tottenham’s list. Spurs have also explored a deal for Manchester City winger Savinho, another wide forward with the profile De Zerbi craves.
City know the Brazilian wants to leave and join Spurs. That much is clear. What is missing is the formal bid. Savinho signed a new contract last summer, strengthening City’s hand and turning this, too, into a potentially expensive operation. They will also want their own replacement in place before sanctioning any sale.
De Zerbi, meanwhile, has been teasing what comes next. After a window in which Spurs have already spent £237m – including a club-record £100m on Sandro Tonali and £85m on Mateus Fernandes – the Italian insists the rebuild is only partly complete.
“The transfer market, it’s not finished for sure, but we completed 60 per cent of our project in the transfer market. Now we have another bomba!” he told football.london last week, confirming the next arrival will be an attacker and hinting the deal is moving, if not yet over the line.
Pressed on how many more signings he expects, he did not shy away from further business. “I think two, maybe three. We have to see,” he said, stressing that the squad still needs “some other players to complete” it, and that he expects those additions “in the next few days” – players he described as “top players” for his project.
He also moved to clarify his now-famous choice of word. “‘Bomba’ in Italian is different from ‘bomba’ in English,” he smiled. “You can write what you want, no problem, no pressure. But I said we have to complete the transfer market.”
Asked for his own definition, he pointed to the signings already made. “I think Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Senesi, Robertson are bomba. For me, top player for us.” The message was unmistakable: he sees the next attacker in that same bracket.
Romero interest lingers as Europe’s elite watch Spurs’ captain
While Spurs chase attacking fireworks, a different kind of tension is building at the back. Atletico Madrid and Inter remain keen on captain Cristian Romero, and there is a growing expectation that the World Cup winner could depart this summer – just a year after being handed the armband and signing a new deal.
De Zerbi has already been in contact with the Argentina defender and plans to discuss his future properly when Romero returns from his post-World Cup break. In an interview with Football London, the Spurs boss indicated he does not want to block a move if Romero decides he wants out.
Inter have moved early in the centre-back market, bringing in John Stones to strengthen Simone Inzaghi’s options. Even so, a deal for Romero is seen as financially complicated. One potential lever is Benjamin Pavard’s future. His departure could open up both the funds and the squad space Inter need to meet Tottenham’s demands.
So Spurs stand at a fascinating crossroads: hunting a headline “bomba” in attack, bracing for a possible bid for their captain in defence, and already deep into a lavish, high-stakes rebuild.
The next deal they push over the line – whether it’s Gakpo, Savinho, or someone still in the shadows – will say plenty about how far, and how fast, De Zerbi intends to drag this club into his image.
