Tottenham want him, but Liverpool won’t sell. Fabrizio Romano lifts the lid on the secret behind the scenes factor keeping Cody Gakpo at Anfield this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur have registered a firm interest in Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo as part of a significant summer rebuild under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
The North London outfit are actively scanning the market for versatile attacking reinforcements, and the Dutch international has emerged as a key target on their shortlist.
Gakpo is fresh from a personally productive 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in the United States, where he netted three goals for the Netherlands before Ronald Koeman’s side suffered a surprise Round of 32 exit at the hands of Morocco.
Watching Cody Gakpo like this genuinely breaks my heart.
He went through one difficult season, and so many Liverpool fans turned on him. Yet he never stopped giving everything for the badge.
Now he’s dealing with the unimaginable pain of losing his child, but he still chose to…
— Nuel (@LfcNuel) June 30, 2026
According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are monitoring the 27-year-old’s situation closely. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano detailed the current landscape:
Tottenham are interested in signing Cody Gakpo ? @FabrizioRomano pic.twitter.com/ONKKUbrcUa
— Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) July 3, 2026
“Keep an eye on Tottenham for Cody Gakpo. They have an interest in the player. Liverpool are not opening the door to an exit. At the moment, they’re not telling Gakpo he can leave or encouraging Spurs to open negotiations. At the moment, the door is closed.
“But we have to see later on in the window, in case Tottenham open talks by sending a proposal.”
The Anfield stance: door firmly shut
Despite the noise emanating from North London, senior figures at Anfield have maintained a firm stance: Gakpo is not for sale.
With Mohamed Salah having departed the club this summer, the Reds attacking options are already under intense scrutiny. New head coach Andoni Iraola has welcomed Spanish winger Víctor Mumoz as the first signing of his Anfield tenure, but the Basque tactician remains acutely aware that his squad needs more bodies up front—not fewer to compete across four competitions.
Gakpo’s durability, tactical flexibility, and proven end product make him an incredibly valuable asset to the incoming coaching staff. While the Dutchman endured a somewhat mixed 2025/26 campaign under a heavy workload, club hierarchy still believe he has a massive role to play in the foreseeable future under Iraola.
ederico Chiesa’s future on Merseyside remaining uncertain, sanctioned exits in the forward line feel highly unlikely. Gakpo currently stands as the primary senior cover for Isak in the central striking role, while also providing a reliable option on the left flank to prevent raw teenagers like Rio Ngumoha from being overexposed too soon.
Tottenham have already proven this summer that they aren’t afraid to pay premium fees, splashing big money on the likes of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.
Liverpool have no intention of inviting them to the negotiating table. Iraola, quite naturally, wants the opportunity to thoroughly assess his inherited options in pre-season before structural changes are made.
The Dutchman faced criticism last year, but the numbers show that when he isn’t asked to bear the entire creative burden of the left flank alone, he is a devastatingly effective weapon.
With Ekitike sidelined and Salah gone, Gakpo represents the ultimate tactical insurance policy for Iraola’s high-intensity system. Unless Tottenham offer a sum well above market value, the door should remain firmly bolted.