Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo
Liverpool attacker Cody Gakpo is facing an uncertain future at Anfield amid interest from one of their Premier League rivals in the summer window.
Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with the Netherlands international's agents about a potential move to North London before the deadline passes in September.
gakpo-liverpool
Roberto De Zerbi has identified the former PSV man as one of his top targets to strengthen his attack ahead of the Premier League season kicking off later this month.
However, Liverpool are not currently open to cashing in on the Dutchman and it now remains to be seen what will happen between now and the end of the window.
Why Liverpool should sell Cody Gakpo
The Reds should allow Spurs to sign the left-sided attacker, for the right price, after his performances on the pitch declined in the 2025/26 campaign.
After he scored ten goals and created 11 'big chances' in the Premier League for Arne Slot in the 2024/25 title-winning campaign, he struggled with a larger role last term.
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Gakpo (Premier League) 24/25 25/26
Appearances 35 36
Minutes 1,945 2,754
xG 7.09 8.46
Goals 10 7
Big chances created 11 10
Assists 4 5
The 27-year-old forward underperformed against his xG in the top-flight last season and failed to create as many 'big chances' for his teammates, despite playing more minutes for the Reds.
His declining output, despite playing more, is a concern moving forward for Andoni Iraola, and his value could drop if his performances continue to decline at Anfield in the coming months.
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo
FSG may, therefore, want to cash in on the attacker before that happens, but they may need to bring in another winger before allowing him to move on.
Liverpool's pursuit of winger is bad news for Cody Gakpo
Now, the club are pursuing a deal for a new forward and it could be bad news for Gakpo and his future on Merseyside heading into the rest of the window.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Liverpool have opened "official" club-to-club talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal to sign Bradley Barcola this summer.
The Italian reporter claims that the Reds have indicated that they are willing to submit a bid in excess of £86m for the France international, but the Champions League champions want a much larger fee.
Romano adds that talks are ongoing between the two clubs and that the player is keen on a move to Anfield to link-up with Iraola's team this season.
REUTERS/Vincent Carchietta
If FSG can strike a deal to bring Barcola to Merseyside in the coming weeks, the Frenchman's arrival could be bad news for Gakpo and his future.
The France international's preferred position is on the left wing, cutting in on his right foot, which means that he would be directly competing with the Dutch attacker for a place in Iraola's XI.
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25/26 season Gakpo (PL) Barcola (L1)
Appearances 36 29
xG 8.46 10.83
Goals 7 11
Big chances created 10 11
Successful dribbles per game 0.9 1.2
Possessions lost per game 10.8 9.2
Their respective performances in the 2025/26 campaign suggest that there will be a clear winner in that race for a starting berth, as he scored more goals and created more 'big chances' for his side.
Barcola also produced two goals and four assists in the Champions League for PSG, whilst Gakpo scored two goals and provided one assist for the Reds in the competition.
REUTERS/Sam Navarro
It is not just his form last season that suggests that his arrival would be bad news for Gakpo, though, as the PSG star also caught the eye in the 2024/25 campaign.
The 23-year-old attacker racked up 21 goals and 18 assists in 58 matches in all competitions that season for the French giants, including 14 goals and ten assists in Ligue 1.
Gakpo, meanwhile, has never hit 20 goals in all competitions in a season or reached double figures for assists for Liverpool since his move from PSV.
Barcola would be a clear upgrade on the Netherlands international on the left flank as both a scorer and as a creator of goals for the Reds, which suggests that he would be the first-choice starter in that position.
REUTERS/Sam Navarro
If his arrival pushes Gakpo down the pecking order for the left wing slot, FSG could be tempted to cash in on him and allow Spurs to swoop for the attacker, which is why this transfer update could be bad news for his future at Anfield.