Key facts
- The Athletic reported Tottenham had registered interest in Cody Gakpo’s representatives and later indicated Manchester City were also interested. ([archive.vn](https://archive.vn/2026.08.04-144321/https%3A/www.nytimes.com/athletic/7488334/2026/08/04/cody-gakpo-tottenham-liverpool-transfer-arsenal-bruno-guimaraes-vinicius-junior-latest-updates/?utm_source=openai))
- Sky Sports reported Tottenham’s interest in Gakpo on August 3, 2026. ([skysports.com](https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/11675/13569350/cody-gakpo-tottenham-interested-in-signing-liverpool-forward-as-roberto-de-zerbi-aims-to-improve-spurs-attack?utm_source=openai))
- Liverpool-focused reporting says Bradley Barcola is a major attacking target and could affect Liverpool’s willingness to sell. ([liverpool.com](https://www.liverpool.com/liverpool-fc-news/bradley-barcola-liverpool-cody-gakpo-34537980.amp?utm_source=openai))
- Claims that Gakpo has definitively chosen a destination or that a fee has been agreed remain unconfirmed in the sourced reporting. ([archive.vn](https://archive.vn/2026.08.04-144321/https%3A/www.nytimes.com/athletic/7488334/2026/08/04/cody-gakpo-tottenham-liverpool-transfer-arsenal-bruno-guimaraes-vinicius-junior-latest-updates/?utm_source=openai))
What is being reported about Gakpo
Cody Gakpo has emerged as one of the more intriguing names in the closing days of the 2026 summer transfer window, with English reports linking the Liverpool forward to a possible move away from Anfield. The broad shape of the story is consistent across several outlets: Tottenham have shown interest for weeks, Liverpool have not been eager sellers, and fresh reporting now suggests Manchester City have also become a factor in any deal. The Athletic has said Tottenham registered interest with Gakpo’s representatives and that Liverpool had no intention of selling at that stage, while later reporting in the same transfer cycle suggested Manchester City were interested too and that the player’s future could be decided late in the window. ([archive.vn](https://archive.vn/2026.08.04-144321/https%3A/www.nytimes.com/athletic/7488334/2026/08/04/cody-gakpo-tottenham-liverpool-transfer-arsenal-bruno-guimaraes-vinicius-junior-latest-updates/?utm_source=openai))
That matters because the story is not just about one player’s preference. It is about whether Liverpool are prepared to reshape their forward line if the right replacement arrives and if the fee is high enough. The Sun’s lead suggests a valuation in the £85 million range, but that specific price should be treated cautiously unless independently confirmed by a primary or clearly attributable report. What can be verified is that multiple outlets have described Gakpo as a serious subject of late-window speculation and that a number of Premier League clubs are involved in the wider conversation. ([liverpool.com](https://www.liverpool.com/liverpool-fc-news/transfer-news/cody-gakpo-valuation-man-city-34540147.amp?utm_source=openai))
Why Tottenham’s interest has stuck around
Tottenham’s pursuit has been one of the more persistent threads in this market. Sky Sports reported on August 3, 2026 that Spurs were interested in signing Gakpo, while The Athletic later said the club had contacted his representatives but had not opened formal talks with Liverpool at that point. That sequence suggests a club testing the market rather than forcing an immediate breakthrough. ([skysports.com](https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/11675/13569350/cody-gakpo-tottenham-interested-in-signing-liverpool-forward-as-roberto-de-zerbi-aims-to-improve-spurs-attack?utm_source=openai))
For Tottenham, a player like Gakpo would fit a straightforward football logic. He is versatile enough to operate across the front line, has Premier League experience, and would offer an immediate level of output compared with a more speculative overseas signing. For Liverpool, however, that same versatility makes him harder to replace unless the club have already lined up another attacker. That is why the question of incoming transfers is central to the whole story rather than just the outgoing fee. ([skysports.com](https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/11675/13569350/cody-gakpo-tottenham-interested-in-signing-liverpool-forward-as-roberto-de-zerbi-aims-to-improve-spurs-attack?utm_source=openai))
Why Manchester City entering the picture changes the story
Manchester City’s reported involvement changes the dynamic because it turns a Spurs-linked exit into a potential intra-Premier League scramble for a player Liverpool may be reluctant to lose. Later reporting attributed to The Athletic indicated City were interested in Gakpo, and that a move could depend on a final-week negotiation rather than a quick resolution. The same reporting also framed the situation as one in which the player and his representatives were weighing the best path forward with the club. ([readliverpoolfc.com](https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/david-ornstein-confirms-liverpools-stance-on-selling-cody-gakpo-this-summer/?utm_source=openai))
If City truly are active in the race, Liverpool’s leverage may increase on price but decrease on control. A bidder with City’s resources can complicate any attempt to move fast, while a club like Tottenham may be looking to move earlier and more decisively. That leaves Gakpo in the middle of a market where his camp can compare sporting role, title chances, and playing time rather than simply accepting the first serious offer. This is an inference from the reported interest, not a confirmed statement from the player. ([readliverpoolfc.com](https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/david-ornstein-confirms-liverpools-stance-on-selling-cody-gakpo-this-summer/?utm_source=openai))
Where Bradley Barcola fits in
Liverpool’s reported interest in Bradley Barcola is the other key part of the picture. Liverpool-focused reporting says Barcola is closing in on a move, or at least that a deal is being actively pursued, and that his arrival would have obvious implications for the rest of the forward unit. Those reports also note that Liverpool’s transfer planning has focused on adding another wide attacker, which naturally raises questions about who might make room if a major signing lands. ([liverpool.com](https://www.liverpool.com/liverpool-fc-news/bradley-barcola-liverpool-cody-gakpo-34537980.amp?utm_source=openai))
In practical terms, a high-profile incoming winger can trigger a domino effect. If Liverpool believe Barcola is the right long-term addition, they may be more open to bids for a player already established in the squad. If they do not land him, or if the price or timing is wrong, then holding Gakpo becomes more important. That is the strategic tension behind the reports: Liverpool may need one exit to justify one arrival, but they also cannot afford to weaken themselves without a reliable replacement. ([liverpool.com](https://www.liverpool.com/liverpool-fc-news/bradley-barcola-liverpool-cody-gakpo-34537980.amp?utm_source=openai))
What can be said with confidence
The most defensible version of events is this: Gakpo is the subject of late-window transfer interest, Tottenham have been tracking the situation for weeks, Liverpool have not been publicly eager to sell, and later reporting has added Manchester City to the list of interested clubs. At the same time, Liverpool are said to be working on attacking additions of their own, with Bradley Barcola a central name in that discussion. ([archive.vn](https://archive.vn/2026.08.04-144321/https%3A/www.nytimes.com/athletic/7488334/2026/08/04/cody-gakpo-tottenham-liverpool-transfer-arsenal-bruno-guimaraes-vinicius-junior-latest-updates/?utm_source=openai))
What remains unproven is the more dramatic framing: that Gakpo has definitively chosen one club, that a fee has been agreed, or that Liverpool have already accepted the logic of selling him. Those claims may yet prove accurate, but at this point they are still part of an evolving transfer story rather than settled fact. For now, the safer conclusion is that the situation is live, competitive and likely to run deep into the closing days of the window. ([archive.vn](https://archive.vn/2026.08.04-144321/https%3A/www.nytimes.com/athletic/7488334/2026/08/04/cody-gakpo-tottenham-liverpool-transfer-arsenal-bruno-guimaraes-vinicius-junior-latest-updates/?utm_source=openai))
What happens next
The decisive moments will likely be a formal offer, Liverpool’s response and whether the club complete incoming business first. If Barcola or another forward arrives, the market math changes quickly. If no replacement is secured, Liverpool may decide that letting Gakpo go creates more problems than it solves, even with a sizeable fee on the table. ([liverpool.com](https://www.liverpool.com/liverpool-fc-news/bradley-barcola-liverpool-cody-gakpo-34537980.amp?utm_source=openai))
That is why this story should be read as a transfer-window negotiation rather than a done deal. The reporting points to genuine interest and genuine movement, but not certainty. As is often the case in the final days of the window, the outcome may depend less on preference than on timing, squad balance and whether a chain reaction of signings and exits can be completed before the deadline. ([archive.vn](https://archive.vn/2026.08.04-144321/https%3A/www.nytimes.com/athletic/7488334/2026/08/04/cody-gakpo-tottenham-liverpool-transfer-arsenal-bruno-guimaraes-vinicius-junior-latest-updates/?utm_source=openai))
Sources: