Cody Gakpo's Future with Liverpool: A Key Player in Iraola's Plans

Liverpool have parked Cody Gakpo’s summer saga and drawn up a very different script for the Dutchman – one that keeps him at the heart of Andoni Iraola’s plans.

For most of the window, Gakpo looked like the big sale that would bankroll Liverpool’s next phase. Fresh from an impressive World Cup with the Netherlands and a sharp start to the 2026/27 season, he attracted serious interest from Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool were open to doing business if a hefty valuation was met, and both Premier League rivals were prepared to pay.

City pushed hardest. In the final days of the window, they moved to land Gakpo as a replacement for Savio, confident they could trigger the financial conditions Liverpool had laid out. According to Dutch outlet Dagblad, an agreement on the numbers was in place. The package was around €100m, and both City and Spurs were willing to go there. Gakpo chose City.

Then Liverpool pulled the plug.

Dagblad reported that the collapse of the transfer “came as a complete surprise”, with the player having believed the pathway out was clear once the fee was matched.

Earlier this week, Gakpo held talks with the club’s owners, “partly to clear the air” after the late U-turn and to address the fallout from a move that had seemed all but done. The Dutch report now insists there will “definitely be no other deal.”

So Liverpool have pivoted. Instead of cashing in, they are building around him.

Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke says the club now expect Gakpo to play a “key” role for the rest of the season, a stance underlined by their decision not to sign a replacement. The change of heart is not just about the goals and assists already on the board; it is about what he allows Iraola to do with his system.

“Gakpo will be a key player for Liverpool this season, definitely,” O’Rourke said, pointing to the forward’s early impact.

Gakpo scored against Newcastle on the opening weekend and followed that with a smart assist against Nottingham Forest, underlining the form that made him such an attractive target.

Liverpool have fallen for his versatility all over again. Gakpo can operate off the left, through the middle, or drop into pockets to knit attacks together. For a coach like Iraola, who thrives on fluid movement and interchangeable roles across the front line, that flexibility is gold. The club weighed up City’s “top dollar” offer and walked away, deciding that the tactical value Gakpo brings outweighed the nine-figure cheque.

That decision, O’Rourke argues, speaks directly to the manager’s influence. Iraola “did not want to lose the Dutchman”, fully aware that any success Liverpool carve out this season is likely to have Gakpo somewhere near the centre of it.

A few weeks ago, he was almost Manchester City’s next statement signing. Now he is Liverpool’s renewed project. The question is no longer what fee he might fetch, but how far he can carry Iraola’s side in the months ahead.