The speculation surrounding Cody Gakpo’s Liverpool future has just taken another twist.
According to SoccerNews journalist Mounir Boualin, Tottenham are preparing a new bid for the Liverpool forward — but they could now face competition from an unexpected source.
Manchester City have reportedly shown interest in the Dutch international.
That could make an already complicated situation even more interesting.
Tottenham aren’t giving up
Tottenham’s interest in Gakpo is nothing new.
Spurs have been pursuing the 27-year-old for much of the summer and have already made an offer for him, according to Boualin’s earlier reporting.
Now they are reportedly preparing another bid.
That suggests Tottenham haven’t been put off by Liverpool’s stance.
And after Gakpo’s excellent performance against Newcastle, Liverpool supporters have another reason to hope the club doesn’t simply accept the next offer that arrives.
Manchester City entering the picture?
The biggest development is the reported interest from Manchester City.
If City genuinely decide to pursue Gakpo, the situation changes considerably.
Liverpool would suddenly have another Premier League club competing for the player, while Tottenham are already preparing a new proposal.
And from Liverpool’s perspective, this could be exactly why they need to stand firm.
Gakpo has just shown why Liverpool need him
The timing couldn’t be more interesting.
Gakpo was arguably Liverpool’s best attacking player in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle.
He scored an excellent equaliser, looked willing to shoot from distance and was one of the few Liverpool attackers consistently causing problems.
That performance came at a time when his future remains uncertain.
It was almost the perfect reminder of what Liverpool could lose.
Gakpo isn’t simply another squad player.
He offers versatility, technical ability and goals.
He can play from the left, operate centrally and give Iraola another option across the front line.
Liverpool shouldn’t sell cheaply
If Tottenham come back with an improved offer and City are genuinely interested, Liverpool should have no reason to rush into a decision.
In fact, the opposite should be true.
Liverpool hold the strongest negotiating position if multiple clubs want the same player.
The Reds don’t need to sell Gakpo simply because there is interest.
He has a long-term contract and has already demonstrated that he can be an important player for Iraola.
And if Liverpool do eventually decide to sell, they should demand a fee that reflects his importance.
The timing is important
Liverpool are already trying to add more attacking options.
Yankuba Minteh remains a target, while the Reds have also been linked with Bradley Barcola and other wingers.
But replacing Gakpo shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Liverpool need more pace and creativity, but they also need players who can contribute immediately.
Gakpo has already proven he can perform in the Premier League.
If he leaves, Liverpool would have to replace those qualities while also adapting another player to Iraola’s system.
👀 Could City make this very interesting?
If Manchester City’s interest develops into something concrete, Liverpool could find themselves in an intriguing position.
Tottenham want Gakpo.
City reportedly want Gakpo.
And Liverpool have a player who has just reminded everyone of his quality.
That gives the Reds considerable leverage.
But it also makes the decision more difficult.
Would Liverpool really want to sell a player who could potentially strengthen a Premier League rival?
That is another question the club would have to consider.
I wouldn’t be rushing to sell him
After watching Gakpo against Newcastle, my position is pretty simple.
I’d keep him.
Liverpool need more attacking options, not fewer.
They need players who can score from outside the box.
They need players who can play multiple positions.
They need players who can help Alexander Isak.
And Gakpo can do all of those things.
Yes, his previous season wasn’t as productive as Liverpool would have hoped.
Yes, there has been plenty of speculation about his future.
But one difficult season shouldn’t erase what he’s capable of.
Liverpool don’t want to “just go along with it”
That’s perhaps the most important part of this latest report.
Liverpool reportedly don’t want to simply allow Gakpo to leave.
And I agree.
If Tottenham return with another offer and Manchester City are genuinely interested, Liverpool should be asking themselves a much bigger question:
Would selling Cody Gakpo actually make this team better?
Right now, I’m not convinced it would.
Liverpool need more quality in attack.
They need more pace.
They need more service for Isak.
And they need competition for places.
Cody Gakpo can provide all of that.
So let Tottenham bid.
Let City show their interest.
But Liverpool shouldn’t be bullied into selling.
After what we saw at St James’ Park, perhaps the message is simple:
Cody Gakpo still has an important role to play at Liverpool.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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