Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has seemingly spoken with Cody Gakpo, as the Liverpool star continues to be linked with a switch to Spurs in the summer transfer window
Cody Gakpo of Liverpool reacts during the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco
Cody Gakpo has been linked with a transfer to Tottenham this summer(Image: (Photo by Lewis Storey - Danehouse/Getty Images))
Cody Gakpo has already spoken to Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi this summer, according to reports, as the Liverpool star continues to be linked with a move to London.
The 27-year-old has emerged as a key target for Spurs in the remaining weeks of the window, with the manager keen to bolster the attacking depth within the roster of players available to him. After narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of the Premier League last season, there has been some significant investment for the Lilywhites in the market.
Andy Robertson was among the first to join, signing as a free agent after his Liverpool deal expired, before Marcos Senesi also moved on a free transfer.
After them, there was some big spending on the likes of Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali to complete the work in the backline and the midfield positions.
The forward ranks have remained an issue for Tottenham, however, with the pursuit of Savinho taking most of the summer so far with little progress made at this stage for the Manchester City ace.
Then there's the situation with Gakpo, which has accelerated in recent days, as Liverpool faces the prospect of losing the Netherlands international.
Cody Gakpo
Cody Gakpo has been linked with leaving Liverpool(Image: Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Reports have stated that Tottenham have made official contact with the Reds for the winger, while those discussions may have dated back even further.
That's because Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink claims that Spurs boss De Zerbi held talks with Gakpo last month, with a discussion surrounding his future and a potential transfer.
From there, it's added that the 27-year-old became open to the possibility of joining Tottenham, with the groundwork being put in for the deal to get underway.
With Liverpool now seemingly open to a transfer exit, the wheels are in motion for a possible transfer, though there remain some key hurdles to overcome before anything will be confirmed.
Club-to-club talks are yet to get underway, which will determine exactly how possible a move is.
Liverpool is claimed to have set an $80 million valuation on Gakpo, and it's unclear whether that is a fee Tottenham would be willing to match.
It sets up an intriguing last few weeks in the transfer market, where the Reds could see two wingers join and one leave.