Manchester City are interested in signing Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo.
The 27-year-old is under contract to 2030 having signed a new five-year deal in August 2025, and there have not been any club-to-club talks.
He has been the subject of repeated links to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, but he started Liverpool's Premier League opening draw against Newcastle United on Sunday, scoring their first goal.
A deal would make Gakpo City's third signing of the summer window, though The Athletic reported they have agreed a €40million deal to sign winger Allan Elias from Palmeiras. Enzo Maresca's side have also reached an agreement with Lille to sign midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi for an initial €95m.
Gakpo scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in 49 appearances during Liverpool's 2024-25 Premier League title-winning season. The Netherlands international then struggled for form after a relatively strong start to 2025-26, scoring only three times in the league since the turn of the year, featuring in every fixture and regularly starting.
He netted three times in four appearances at this summer's World Cup as his nation exited in the last-32 stage with defeat to Morocco on penalties. He made himself available for selection just days after his partner, Noa, revealed they lost their child during pregnancy.
Liverpool signed Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in a deal worth an initial £37 million, potentially rising to £44m with add-ons, in December 2022. He had an immediate impact at Anfield, scoring seven times in 21 Premier League matches in the second half of that season.
In total, Gakpo has recorded 51 goals and 23 assists in 181 appearances for the Merseyside club, having come through PSV's academy.
Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee writes that this move probably makes sense as a back-up for Erling Haaland, given Gakpo is Premier League proven, has a good goals record and offers physical presence. But Lee notes that news of City's interest has not been warmly received by many supporters online. With City closing in on a deal for Palmeiras winger Allan, a player who has also underwhelmed fans, there is a feeling of anticlimax about the final important days of the transfer window. City have done well to sell some unwanted players for big money, but the concerning thing is that most of those have only joined the club in the last 18 months, so there is not a lot of faith that the recent business has been good. The January signings of Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo do look impressive, but the other recent deals leave a lot to be desired, and it is therefore difficult to have faith that there is a solid plan in place this summer, with several areas of the squad still in need of improvement.
Liverpool correspondent James Pearce writes that it is inconceivable that Liverpool would even consider letting Cody Gakpo leave unless they sign at least two attacking reinforcements before next week's transfer deadline. Gakpo underlined his value to the club with his contribution to Sunday's 2-2 draw with Newcastle United. He endured a torrid campaign in 2025-26 but has looked fresh and energised by the new era with Andoni Iraola at the helm. Even if Liverpool were to sign top target Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain and agree a deal with Brighton & Hove Albion for Yankuba Minteh, there is a strong argument that they should still keep Gakpo for the season ahead. Barcola might take his place on the left wing, but Gakpo would be valuable as a back-up option to Alexander Isak through the middle, especially as Hugo Ekitike is out until after Christmas due to injury. Gakpo's value in the market has to be in excess of £75m. Given the rivalry with Manchester City, with no player moving between the clubs since Raheem Sterling in 2015, the prospect of selling him to Tottenham Hotspur would be more palatable for the club's supporters. But most will be hoping that any offers are rebuffed and he stays.
Source: www.nytimes.com — Read the original article
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