By OkayGoal
Manchester City are interested in signing Cody Gakpo, according to James Pearce, though there has been no club-to-club contact just yet.
It’s the latest twist in a Liverpool transfer saga that had already been rumbling on with Tottenham for weeks, and it now looks set to define the final days of the window.
Manchester City interested in signing Cody Gakpo. No club to club contact at this stage.
It’s inconceivable that Liverpool would even consider letting the Dutch forward leave unless they sign a minimum of two attackers prior to next week’s transfer deadline.…— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) August 24, 2026
Pearce was clear on the context around Man City’s interest, noting it’s inconceivable Liverpool would even consider letting the Dutch forward leave unless they sign a minimum of two attackers before next week’s deadline. That framing matters a lot here, this isn’t Liverpool shopping their forward around, it’s City sniffing around a player Liverpool have no intention of losing lightly.
🚨 🆕 Manchester City are interested in signing Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo – @David_Ornstein & @JamesPearceLFC pic.twitter.com/20MY0FVQ5N
— Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) August 24, 2026
How Manchester City suddenly entered the picture?
The race for Gakpo has taken a genuinely dramatic turn in the final days of the summer window.
Tottenham have been linked with the 27-year-old for a while now, but City making their move changes the shape of this story entirely.
Roberto De Zerbi is said to be eager to add the versatile forward to his attacking ranks at Tottenham, viewing him as a key component heading into the new campaign, and we’ve already looked in detail at whether Gakpo would actually be the right fit for Spurs.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Man City made contact with Gakpo’s camp today to signal their intent. There’s been no formal contact between the two clubs yet, but the interest is concrete and could turn into an official approach before the deadline.
Tottenham are not backing off Cody Gakpo either
Despite City’s late entry, Tottenham remain firmly in this and appear to have done a lot of groundwork already, tracking Gakpo for several weeks and identifying him as a serious option to upgrade their forward line. Spurs are also working on a double raid on Manchester City for Savinho and Omar Marmoush, but that hasn’t cooled their interest in Gakpo at all. If anything, they’re reportedly preparing a new bid on top of an initial offer worth around €60 million.
The competition between the two clubs is heating up fast, with indications personal terms might already be a factor in how this develops. Liverpool have maintained a firm stance that they don’t want to sell one of their most important attacking players, but the financial muscle of two Premier League rivals circling the same man is exactly the kind of pressure that tests that resolve. Gakpo, for what it’s worth, reminded everyone of his quality just this past weekend, scoring a brilliant goal in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle.
Why Liverpool won’t sell without a replacement lined up
Liverpool’s position has been clear throughout. The club isn’t actively looking to sell Gakpo and would only consider it if a genuinely attractive offer arrives, and even then, any exit would be strictly dependent on landing a high-quality replacement before the window shuts. Liverpool have been linked with both Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh as potential incoming options, but losing a player with Gakpo’s experience and versatility would still be a real risk for Andoni Iraola’s side as they look to compete on multiple fronts this season.
This all looks like part of a much bigger transfer merry-go-round that could define the closing hours of the window. If Tottenham get their deals for Savinho and Marmoush over the line, that would theoretically free Manchester City up to pursue Gakpo as a direct replacement, one deal triggering the next across the league.
With the 11pm deadline on Tuesday closing in fast, expect the speculation here to only intensify. Liverpool fans will just be hoping their number 18 stays put.