Manchester City Enter Race to Sign Cody Gakpo from Liverpool with No Club Talks Yet

Manchester City have registered interest in signing Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, according to reports from Sky Sports published on Monday, August 24, 2026 — but no club-to-club talks have taken place and Liverpool are firmly opposed to selling the Dutch international, who is under contract at Anfield until 2030.

The development adds Manchester City to the list of Premier League clubs circling the 27-year-old Netherlands international, with Tottenham Hotspur previously identified as interested in Gakpo by Sky Sports. City are reportedly exploring options to reinforce their forward line after allowing Savinho and potentially Omar Marmoush to depart for Spurs this summer — and Gakpo has emerged as a target in the final week of the 2026 summer transfer window, which closes at 23:00 BST on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

What Sky Sports and The Athletic Are Reporting

Sky Sports reported on August 24, 2026 that “Manchester City are interested in signing Tottenham target Cody Gakpo from Liverpool.” The outlet was emphatic that the move remains at an embryonic stage, adding that “there have not been any club-to-club talks between City and Liverpool at this stage for Gakpo.” Sky Sports further noted that “Liverpool do not want to sell Gakpo as things stand.”

The Athletic, in a report also published on August 24, 2026, corroborated the Sky Sports account, stating that Manchester City are “reportedly keen on acquiring Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo” while noting that he is under contract until 2030 following a new five-year deal signed in August 2025, and that “there have been no discussions between the clubs thus far.”

Tribuna.com also reported that Manchester City are showing interest as Tottenham prepare an improved bid of their own, with the Gakpo transfer saga shaping up as one of the most closely watched stories in the final days of the Premier League window.

Transfer Status: This Is a Rumour, Not a Done Deal

It must be emphasised clearly: as of August 25, 2026, no transfer has been agreed, no fee has been discussed between clubs, and Liverpool have communicated no desire to sell Gakpo. This remains a transfer interest story, not an agreement. The move has not been confirmed, talks are not ongoing at club level, and nothing is agreed. The transfer window closes on September 1, 2026, which means any deal — should one materialise — would need to be completed within the next seven days.

City’s interest appears to be driven by attacking reinforcement needs. Both Savinho and Omar Marmoush are expected to leave the Etihad this summer — Savinho’s departure to Tottenham in a reported €87.7 million deal was confirmed this week, while Omar Marmoush is set to join Tottenham on loan with a £50 million purchase clause. That creates a significant gap in City’s forward options with Deadline Day approaching.

Cody Gakpo: Career Profile and Liverpool Statistics

Cody Gakpo was born on May 7, 1999, in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He came through the PSV Eindhoven academy system and developed into one of the most exciting wingers in European football during the early 2020s. His technical ability, pace, and versatility across the front line made him one of the most coveted forwards in Dutch football history before his move to England.

Liverpool signed Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 for a reported fee of approximately £37 million. The transfer came after a sensational first half of the 2022-23 season at PSV, during which he had been strongly linked with Manchester United. Liverpool moved quickly to secure him in the January window, beating several rival clubs to his signature.

Since arriving at Anfield, Gakpo has been a consistent performer across multiple campaigns. According to available career records, he has made 181 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, contributing 51 goals and 27 assists. In Premier League football alone, he has registered 33 goals in 128 appearances, making him one of Liverpool’s more reliable attacking contributors in the post-Salah era.

Gakpo signed a new five-year contract extension with Liverpool in August 2025, tying him to the club until 2030. That deal significantly strengthened Liverpool’s hand in any potential sale negotiation — and is a key reason why the club’s position, as of August 24, 2026, is that they do not wish to sell him at this stage of the window.

Tottenham Were First in the Queue — Now City Have Joined

Tottenham Hotspur were identified by Sky Sports as early as August 19, 2026 as a club interested in signing Gakpo this summer. The Spurs link made sense in context: new Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi has been tasked with rebuilding the club’s attacking unit, and Gakpo’s profile — a dynamic, left-footed winger capable of playing across the front three — fits the style De Zerbi favours.

Sky Sports reported in mid-August 2026 that Spurs were “considering Cody Gakpo, Savinho, Omar Marmoush and Pedro Neto in their search for three new forwards.” While Savinho and Marmoush now appear close to joining Spurs, the Gakpo link appears to remain active. Manchester City’s emergence complicates the picture considerably, potentially triggering a bidding contest that could drive up Liverpool’s asking price — or alternatively, cause both clubs to look elsewhere given Liverpool’s firm stance.

The Sun reported on August 24, 2026 that “Man City are ready to hijack Tottenham’s transfer for Cody Gakpo from Liverpool” — though that framing overstates the certainty of any move, given that no club-to-club talks exist. The reports across multiple outlets are consistent in their core facts: City’s interest is genuine, but Liverpool’s resistance is equally firm.

Why Manchester City Need a Forward

Manchester City’s interest in Gakpo stems directly from a summer of attacking departures at the Etihad Stadium. Savinho’s €87.7 million move to Tottenham removes one of the club’s most dynamic wide forwards from Pep Guardiola‘s squad. Omar Marmoush, who joined City earlier in 2025, is now reportedly heading to Spurs on loan. That leaves City with a reduced attacking roster heading into the 2026-27 Premier League season, which began on the weekend of August 16-17, 2026.

Guardiola’s system traditionally requires mobile, technically refined forwards who can operate in tight spaces and contribute to positional play. Gakpo’s profile fits that template: the Dutchman is left-footed, can play as a false nine or on either wing, presses effectively from the front, and has demonstrated the technical quality to function in a possession-heavy system. His 19-goal season for Liverpool in 2023-24 was particularly impressive and drew the attention of several top European clubs at the time.

City’s situation is also complicated by the fact that the transfer window closes on September 1, 2026 — leaving them with a narrow operational window. Any approach for Gakpo would need to move from interest to formal bid and then to negotiation in a matter of days, all while Liverpool are understood to have no desire to sell.

Liverpool’s Position: Contract Until 2030 and No Desire to Sell

Liverpool’s stance makes any transfer extremely difficult. Gakpo committed his future to the club in August 2025, signing a new five-year deal that represents a significant vote of confidence in the club’s project. Liverpool’s sporting structure under their current management has shown no inclination to sell key attacking players to direct Premier League rivals mid-season or at short notice.

Gakpo himself has given no public indication that he wants to leave Anfield. Having helped Liverpool through multiple challenging campaigns since his January 2023 arrival, and having signed a long-term contract less than twelve months ago, the expectation among those close to the situation is that any approach from City or Spurs would need to include an extraordinary offer to even prompt Liverpool to open discussions.

The transfer landscape in the Premier League in summer 2026 has seen several headline moves, including Manchester United’s pursuit of Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, the confirmed departure of Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal toward Al-Hilal, and several other major outgoings. The Gakpo saga, if it develops, would rank among the most consequential remaining deals of the window.

Gakpo’s International Career and World Cup Pedigree

Beyond club football, Cody Gakpo is one of the Netherlands’ most important players at international level. He announced himself on the global stage at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he scored three goals in the group stage — against Senegal, Ecuador, and Qatar — as the Netherlands advanced to the quarter-finals. That World Cup performance, combined with his PSV form, was what convinced Liverpool to accelerate their pursuit in January 2023.

Gakpo has continued to be a key figure for the Dutch national side, participating in major international tournaments and serving as one of the most visible Dutch footballers on the global stage alongside Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong, and others. His marketability and recognisability factor heavily into why clubs of City’s and Tottenham’s stature are willing to engage in a potentially difficult negotiation with Liverpool.

What Happens Next: Key Dates and Scenarios

The Premier League summer transfer window closes at 23:00 BST on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. That gives any interested club fewer than seven days to move from reported interest to a signed deal. The key scenarios now are:

• City or Spurs submit a formal bid: If either club makes an official approach, Liverpool will be forced to formally respond. Liverpool’s public stance is opposition to selling, but an extraordinary fee — potentially well above the reported £37 million they paid in January 2023 — could force a conversation.
• Gakpo stays at Liverpool: Given Liverpool’s contractual security and stated position, the most likely outcome remains that Gakpo will begin the 2026-27 Premier League season as a Liverpool player. He has already made one appearance and scored one goal in the new campaign according to available records.
• A late window breakthrough: Transfer windows in the final week have frequently seen dramatic developments. If City escalate their interest to a formal offer, and if Gakpo’s own position becomes relevant, the situation could evolve rapidly before Deadline Day.
• Tottenham’s improved bid: Reports suggest Tottenham may prepare an improved bid of their own. If Spurs raise their offer significantly, City’s interest could become a competitive element that pushes the price higher for both clubs.

For now, the Gakpo situation sits firmly in the reported interest category — a genuine story with real reporting behind it, but far from a completed deal. Sky Sports, The Athletic, and multiple other outlets have corroborated the basic facts: City are interested, Spurs were first to show that interest, Liverpool do not want to sell, and no club-to-club discussions have taken place. Those are the verified, current facts as of August 25, 2026.

Analyst Perspective: What a Gakpo Deal Would Mean

If Manchester City were to successfully sign Cody Gakpo from Liverpool, it would represent one of the more pointed pieces of transfer business between two direct Premier League title rivals in recent memory. Liverpool selling a key forward to a title competitor — particularly one under contract until 2030 — would be a significant moment, and it would likely require a fee well into the £70-80 million range to make sense from a Liverpool perspective, given what Gakpo still offers and the length of time remaining on his contract.

For City, Gakpo would provide the kind of reliable, high-volume attacking output that has become harder to sustain in recent years following the departures of key forwards. His ability to play multiple positions in the front three, combined with his Premier League experience and international pedigree, would make him a seamless fit for Guardiola’s system without requiring a lengthy adaptation period.

For Tottenham, City’s emergence is an unwelcome complication. De Zerbi’s side have already made significant strides in the attacking market this summer, with Savinho confirmed and Marmoush expected. Losing Gakpo to a direct rival — or being priced out by a bidding war — would leave Spurs with work still to do before Deadline Day.

The coming days will determine whether this story remains a transfer rumour or escalates into one of the defining deals of the 2026 summer window. All parties — City, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Gakpo himself — have significant decisions to make before 23:00 BST on September 1, 2026.

Sources

• Cody Gakpo transfer news: Man City interested in signing Tottenham target from Liverpool but Reds don’t want to sell — skysports.com
• Manchester City interested in signing Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo — nytimes.com
• Man City make shock Cody Gakpo approach to leave Liverpool and … — mirror.co.uk
• Could Liverpool let Gakpo go? – The Athletic — nytimes.com
• Cody Gakpo transfer news: Man City interested in signing … — skysports.com

Photo: elisfkc3, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons