Cody Gakpo to Man City? What It Would Take for Wild Liverpool Transfer to Happen

A surprise twist of events could see Gakpo become the first player to cross this thorny divide since 2015.

Cody Gakpo has been at the center of a transfer storm this summer. | Peter Byrne/PA Images/Getty Images

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has emerged as a shock target for Manchester City in a tumultuous summer of transfer sagas for the Dutchman, according to multiple reports. Yet, as one dispatch points out, any deal would be “problematic.”

Gakpo has also been chased for much of the off-season by Tottenham Hotspur, enjoying a sustained and widely spread level of interest he could scarcely have imagined after a disappointing 2025–26 campaign. Given the keys to the left wing in the absence of Luis Díaz, the 27-year-old’s form cooled dramatically after a relatively encouraging start to the campaign: Gakpo mustered just two top-flight goals in his final 18 appearances.

The Reds clearly had some concerns about their attacking firepower going forward given their insistence on signing multiple wingers this season—at the expense of any other position on the pitch. That resolve could be tested in light of City’s interest.

Enzo Maresca’s new-look team have made contact with Gakpo’s representatives, according to The Times. No discussions have yet been opened with Liverpool but City’s interest is thought to be earnest.

A replacement for the Tottenham-bound Sávio has already taken the shape of Palmeiras’ 22-year-old forward Allan Elias, yet Gakpo is being lined up as potential cover for Erling Haaland. City’s existing second center forward, Omar Marmoush, is also expected to be on the move this summer, leaving Maresca light of attacking options.

Quite why City have settled on Gakpo, a natural left winger who has notably struggled in central roles for Liverpool, as the solution to this problem is one head-scratching element of this proposal. There are plenty more to consider.

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‘Inconceivable’—What Would It Take for Liverpool to Sell Gakpo?

Bradley Barcola (right) and Ibrahim Mbaye (left) are both in Liverpool’s sights. | FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images

Should Gakpo become the first player since Raheem Sterling in 2015 to cross the thorny divide which has formed between Liverpool and Manchester City, there would have to be several favorable contingencies for the Reds. Chief among those is sourcing some suitable replacements.

The Athletic predict that it would be “inconceivable” for Liverpool to sanction Gakpo’s exit unless two more wingers are bought. The list of targets for those on Merseyside is well worn; amid cooling interest in Ibrahim Mbaye, his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Bradley Barcola remains a sought-after figure. The same can be said of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yankuba Minteh as another option on the right—which could free up Rio Ngumoha to take on his favored left wing slot more regularly.

However, the issue for both targets is the yawning chasm between Liverpool’s valuation and their asking prices. The idea that either PSG or Brighton can be forced into lowering their expectations against the pressure of a ticking clock overlooks the fact that neither has a particular need to sell. The Seagulls are already poised to cash in on Carlos Baleba while there are few financial demands that can be placed upon the reigning European champions.

Unless Liverpool are willing to up their outlay, there won’t be any Gakpo replacements.

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How Much Would Cody Gakpo Cost Man City?

Man City are now looking at Cody Gakpo, too. | Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Liverpool are in a strong negotiating position.

Gakpo, entering his prime at 27, still has four years left on a new contract he only penned last August. The Athletic speculate that it will take in excess of $102.3 million (£75 million) for City to sign Gakpo, given all those factors and the added tax of him joining a direct rival.

City would have the requisite cash. Ayyoub Bouaddi’s impending arrival to go alongside Elliot Anderson’s record transfer represents an expenditure of around $325 million, but that has been balanced by a glut of outings worth almost exactly as much.

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What About Tottenham?

Robert De Zerbi is being handed a new team. | Marc Atkins/Getty Images

It would appear that Tottenham’s focus has been diverted elsewhere. The Telegraph report that Marmoush is “on the brink” of having a $81.9 million (£60 million) deal sanctioned to follow the same path recently trodden by Sávio.

Marmoush effectively serves the same purpose as Gakpo; offering cover through the middle or out wide. There would be more chance of regular minutes at Spurs compared to City, who are expected to select Jérémy Doku and Haaland whenever the pair are fit, but the Lilywhites will surely only add one more forward during this total rebuild.

Whether City’s quest for another attacker culminates in Gakpo still very much remains to be seen.

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