Liverpool’s forward line is on the verge of a dramatic overhaul this summer, with Cody Gakpo’s long-anticipated departure to Tottenham Hotspur having reached an advanced stage. According to recent reports, Gakpo has informed Liverpool that he wants to join the North London club, with verbal terms already agreed following a direct phone call from Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi. The Dutch international has been won over by the project in North London and the personal approach, with sources indicating the prospective deal could be finalized for a fee in the region of £70 million. The transfer would represent a significant financial gain for the Reds, but the impending departure raises serious tactical concerns for Andoni Iraola, who is short of first-team attackers. Without a replacement, Liverpool would be left with an insufficient number of starting wide forwards to maintain its status at the heart of the Premier League’s top four.
Yet the opportunity to offload Gakpo has collided with a hardline reality check in the transfer market over the pursuit of the man Liverpool hope to sign. The Reds have identified PSG’s Bradley Barcola as the marquee replacement, and the Parisians have shown a willingness to negotiate over the departures of both Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye. PSG’s recent additions of Mika Godts for €55 million, Maghnes Akliouche, and Ferran Torres have pushed Barcola down the pecking order, yet the Ligue 1 champions remain prepared to hold out for a premium fee. It’s a standoff that has left Liverpool reluctant to shatter their existing transfer framework, seeking assurances that they will not overpay in consecutive windows. Their preference is to secure Barcola for a discounted figure, while a separate deal for Mbaye is understood to be valued closer to €50 million.
The stalemate is fueled by Liverpool’s own inability to complete the first domino. Reports from multiple outlets confirm that the club have specifically held off on sanctioning Gakpo’s exit until they have secured at least one, if not both, of their desired PSG targets. The logic is unwavering: if the £70 million from the Dutchman crosses the ledger, the money must be immediately redeployed. The club has already held preliminary talks for Barcola, and they are prepared to return with an improved fee. A well-placed source has suggested that Gakpo is “one step away” from clicking the trigger on his transfer, but the sale is still pending the arrival of his replacements—a precarious diplomatic tightrope with the transfer deadline looming.
While the drama unfolds on Merseyside, Arsenal’s late intervention threatens to complicate an already delicate operation, with the Gunners showing an interest in hijacking any deal for Barcola to solve their own left-wing issues. The reality remains that Tottenham’s interest in Gakpo is independent of Liverpool’s incoming business, and De Zerbi’s side are already planning life with the versatile Dutchman. Gakpo’s flexibility across the front line makes him a rare asset, but his inconsistent form under the previous regime has left Liverpool fans divided on whether his departure is a mistake or a necessity. As this multi-party transfer saga unfolds, the safest conclusion is that Liverpool must act fast—not just for Barcola and Mbaye, but to avoid entering the new season short-handed. The message from the stands is clear: do not let the window end on a false promise.
