Tottenham have expressed interest in acquiring Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo as part of manager Roberto de Zerbi’s squad overhaul. The potential transfer would present complications, as Liverpool are unwilling to further deplete their attacking resources following Mohamed Salah’s departure and with Hugo Ekitike sidelined by an Achilles injury. Additionally, Liverpool are concurrently pursuing Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, adding further complexity to negotiations.
De Zerbi views Gakpo as a versatile attacker capable of operating across multiple positions. While the Netherlands international has predominantly played left wing during his time at Liverpool, he has regularly featured as a central striker, false nine, and second forward. De Zerbi reportedly values Gakpo’s technical ability and positional intelligence for a role operating through the middle, combining with midfielders while creating space for wide attackers. Such tactical flexibility aligns with De Zerbi’s preferred system, which typically features a centre forward vacating central positions rather than operating as a traditional penalty-box striker.
The underlying performance data supports Tottenham’s pursuit. Despite seven Premier League goals last season representing Gakpo’s lowest full-season return at Liverpool, advanced statistics reveal a significantly stronger picture. His 2.2 touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes ranked among Europe’s top wingers, while he also placed inside the top 10 across Europe’s five major leagues for open-play shots and chances created. Positional comparisons show Gakpo ranked in the 98th percentile for shot frequency, the 96th percentile for advanced involvement, and the 91st percentile for box threat among positional peers. His 30 Premier League offside positions last season highlighted his aggressive approach to attacking space behind defences.
Gakpo’s comparative output against Tottenham’s existing attacking options further illustrates Spurs’ interest. He completed last season with 8.59 expected goals, 87 shots, five assists, and 10 big chances created—surpassing corresponding figures for Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, Mathys Tel, and Randal Kolo Muani. He also recorded 187 touches in the opposition penalty area compared with 125 for Richarlison, 68 for Tel, and 55 for Solanke. Beyond attacking contributions, Gakpo demonstrated defensive value through 87 possession regains and 13 interceptions, while his 6ft 4in frame positioned him in the 96th percentile for aerial volume among wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.
Liverpool’s reluctance to sell reflects Gakpo’s importance to their squad depth and proven consistency. Since arriving in January 2023, he has scored seven, eight, 10, and seven league goals across successive seasons, with particularly strong creative contributions since November 2024. Losing both Gakpo and Salah simultaneously would substantially reduce Liverpool’s attacking resources, particularly with Ekitike unavailable. For Tottenham, Gakpo’s combination of reliability, multi-positional capability, and elite chance-generation metrics presents a compelling strategic fit, though persuading Liverpool to facilitate the transfer remains uncertain.
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