Cody Gakpo's Future: Liverpool Faces Spurs' Interest

Tottenham are testing Liverpool’s nerve over Cody Gakpo, sensing an opportunity at just the moment Anfield’s faith in the Dutchman is starting to fray.

The numbers make it tempting. Liverpool paid under £45 million to bring Gakpo from PSV to Merseyside. Now, with Spurs’ interest firming up, the 27-year-old could command a fee of up to £70m. For a player who has flickered rather than burned in red, that is serious profit on a short turnaround.

On paper, he is everything a modern forward should be: comfortable off either flank, able to operate as a central striker, proven goal threat in the Eredivisie, now seasoned in the Premier League. In reality, Liverpool have seen that version of Gakpo in bursts, not over months.

The inconsistency has opened the door. Tottenham, keen to sharpen their attack again, are ready to walk through it.

Owen’s blunt verdict

Michael Owen, never one to varnish an opinion, summed up the unease around Gakpo’s Liverpool career so far. Speaking to GOAL, the former Reds striker didn’t dance around the issue.

Gakpo, he argued, was “consistent last year, but consistently poor”. A bright opening spell, then a long, flat stretch. In Owen’s eyes, it wasn’t just Gakpo who dipped – “it was a poor season” across the board – but the spotlight on the Dutchman has grown all the same.

Owen still sees the player who once looked tailor‑made for Liverpool’s system, insisting Gakpo has “already proven that he can be very effective in the Liverpool team”. Yet the concern over last season lingers, and it feeds directly into the transfer question: do you cash in now, or double down?

That decision is complicated by the squad picture. Liverpool are already light in wide areas. Owen posed the uncomfortable question: if Gakpo goes, who carries the load? Are Liverpool really ready to lean on a youngster like Rio Ngumoha as a meaningful option from the flanks?

“If you’ve got a replacement, then I can see it,” he said, describing the situation as “up in the air”. Liverpool, he believes, are currently thinking more about adding than trimming.

Spurs make their move

Into that uncertainty steps Tottenham. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Spurs are in “direct talks with Cody Gakpo’s camp” over a possible summer move. The discussions are live, but the deal sits on two pillars: the financial package on offer and Liverpool’s ability to secure reinforcements of their own.

Liverpool’s recruitment team have already cast their eyes towards France. Bradley Barcola, the highly rated Paris Saint‑Germain forward, has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield. At 23 and already a Champions League winner, he fits the club’s preferred profile: young, hungry, with scope to grow in value and influence.

If PSG open the door and Liverpool can walk through it, Gakpo’s position starts to look less secure. One domino nudges the next.

Country vs club: two versions of Gakpo

What complicates the picture further is the split-screen view of Gakpo. For the Netherlands, he continues to look like the player Liverpool thought they were signing.

He impressed again on the international stage at the 2026 World Cup, lively and dangerous in Oranje colours. The contrast with his club form is impossible to ignore, and Gakpo himself has acknowledged the difference.

“It’s a little bit different,” he said when asked about his greater consistency for the national team compared to Liverpool. He pointed to how he is used by the Netherlands, where the coach wants him to play, and the freedom he enjoys. “That’s it basically.”

It sounds simple. It rarely is. System, role, confidence, rhythm – all of it feeds into whether a forward looks like a £70m asset or a player a club might quietly move on.

A crossroads for all sides

Gakpo’s future will not be decided over his head. The Dutchman knows he is at a crucial stage of his career, with his standing for both club and country on the line. He must choose the environment that best serves both.

Tottenham can offer a fresh start, a prominent role, and a manager eager to build a fluid, attacking side. Liverpool can offer the chance to prove he belongs at the heart of a rebuild under Andoni Iraola, rather than on its periphery.

For Liverpool, this is not just a question of profit and loss. It is a test of conviction. Do they still believe Gakpo can be the player he is for the Netherlands, week after week in the Premier League? Or do they take the money, trust their recruitment, and let a rival gamble on unlocking his peak?

The clock is ticking on an answer – and whichever way Liverpool turn will say plenty about how bold they are prepared to be in reshaping their attack.