Liverpool's Cody Gakpo
They say pre-season outings do not matter, but Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi will be using such games to gain a better understanding of his squad.
The Italian only managed seven Premier League games for the Lilywhites last term, but it was enough time to make an immediate impact and fend off any relegation threat.
However, the summer has brought fresh optimism to the fanbase, with the manager already spending over £235m to make his squad capable of mounting a charge up the table in 2026/27.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi celebrates after the match-2
However, if the 47-year-old is to build on his impressive start to life in North London, he will certainly need reinforcements in one area of the pitch before the new season commences.
How Gakpo can solve De Zerbi's biggest issue at Spurs
In an attempt to improve the Spurs attacking department, ENIC have recently entered talks with the representatives of Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo over the possibility of a transfer.
It’s claimed that the Dutchman would cost as much as £72m this summer, but it could be a worthwhile investment should he solve the issues which have arisen in forward areas.
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The 27-year-old has experience of finding the back of the net in England’s top-flight, subsequently netting 32 goals in such a division over the last three and a half years.
Such a goalscoring quality is desperately needed within the Lilywhites ranks, with Richarlison the only forward on the books who managed to net more than five league goals in 2025/26.
As for Gakpo, his chance creation could also see those around him improve their goalscoring tally, with the Dutchman registering 16 assists since his arrival at Anfield in January 2023.
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Most PL assists for Liverpool (2025/26)
Player
Dominik Szoboszlai
Mohamed Salah
Cody Gakpo
Hugo Ekitike
Alexis Mac Allister
Florian Wirtz
Ryan Gravenberch
Curtis Jones
His tally of five assists last season ranks him alongside Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons in De Zerbi’s side - but both of the aforementioned stars remain sidelined through injury.
Whilst the Dutch star won’t be the first choice option for every Spurs fan this summer, there’s no denying he’s an upgrade on the players currently available in the senior ranks.
Spurs in continued talks to sign £43m Gakpo upgrade
Despite the ongoing links to Liverpool star Gakpo, Spurs appear to be keeping their options open and are continuing to look elsewhere for added attacking reinforcements.
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen is seen as another option for the forward line, but his wages are likely to be out of reach for the Lilywhites at present.
Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen celebrates scoring a goal that was later disallowed
However, work has been done on a possible deal for Barcelona winger Ferran Torres, but competition for his signature is expected to be high before the window closes.
It’s been reported by TEAMtalk that Spurs have maintained regular contact with the Spaniard’s representatives and would offer the 26-year-old a route back to the Premier League.
The report also states that PSG and North London rivals Arsenal are in contention to secure his services, with the player currently preferring a move to the former of the two sides.
That said, the situation could well change, with there a feeling that if he is to return to England, a move to London would be his preferred destination, suggesting he'd open to heading to N17.
General view inside the Tottenham Hotspur stadium before the match
General view inside the Tottenham Hotspur stadium before the match
Other reports have suggested that the attacker could be available for a fee in the region of £43m this summer - a potential bargain for any of the interested parties.
When comparing his stats to those of fellow transfer target Gakpo, he massively outperformed him in numerous key areas - which could make him the perfect signing to improve De Zerbi’s chances of success.
ferran-torres-barcelona
Torres registered an impressive tally of 18 combined goals and assists in Spain’s top-flight last season, a figure which was higher than that of the Dutch star - who also featured in more matches.
The Barça star also managed to register nearly three times more shots on target per 90 - showcasing why he can be the man to provide the goods for the Lilywhites in front of goal.
His tally of 1.7 efforts per 90 ranked him above 90% of other attackers in Europe’s top-five leagues, which no doubt allowed him to score 16 times in the league last term.
The Spanish star achieved a 33% cross accuracy rate in LaLiga last year, a tally also higher than that of Gakpo, which subsequently allowed the former Manchester City man to create more big chances.
His talent has been evident on the international stage of late, as his goal against Argentina secured his nation their second World Cup back in mid-July - forever writing himself into the history books.
£43m for a player of Torres' top-level experience would be a phenomenal deal for Spurs this summer - but they will have to fend off serious interest from PSG for his signature.
He’s available for nearly £30m cheaper than the Liverpool winger, which further highlights how much of a good deal De Zerbi’s men would be getting this window.