A wanted man - but would Liverpool's Gakpo be a good fit at Spurs?

Tottenham Hotspur have shown interest in Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, but the potential transfer faces several challenges. Liverpool are hesitant to weaken their attacking options following Mohamed Salah's departure and Hugo Ekitike's Achilles injury recovery. Additionally, they are pursuing Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, meaning Gakpo would be leaving one of their most experienced attackers. Despite this, Tottenham sees value in Gakpo's versatility and tactical flexibility.

Gakpo plays primarily as a left winger for Liverpool but is capable of operating as a central striker, false nine, and second forward. This adaptability aligns with Tottenham's philosophy, which often asks its centre forward to link play with midfielders and create space for wide players. His technical skills, close control, and positional intelligence make him a suitable fit for this role while also providing cover on the left flank.

In the 2025-26 season, Gakpo scored seven Premier League goals, which was his lowest return in a full season at Anfield. However, when examining underlying data, Gakpo remains one of Europe's most dangerous wide forwards. He averaged more touches in the opposition penalty area (2.2 per 90 minutes) than the majority of his peers in the top five leagues. Additionally, he ranked in the top 10 for open-play shots and chances created.

Gakpo's willingness to attack space behind defenses sets him apart from other wide forwards. Last season, he was caught offside 30 times, indicating his constant search for scoring opportunities beyond the last defender. While he had a challenging season overall, he still managed to score 18 goals across all competitions for Liverpool in 2024-25.

Compared to Tottenham's existing forwards, Gakpo has a higher expected-goals total (8.59), more shots (87), more assists (five), and more big chances created (10) than Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, Mathys Tel, and Randal Kolo Muani. He also recorded the most touches in the opposition penalty area (187) and the highest expected assists from open play (4.17).

Defensively, Gakpo is also valuable to Tottenham. He regained possession 87 times, including 45 in the middle third, and made 13 interceptions, all of which were higher than the totals for Richarlison, Tel, and Solanke. His ability to contribute defensively provides additional insurance for Tottenham.

Despite these strengths, Liverpool sees few reasons to let Gakpo leave. He remains one of the squad's established forwards and his departure would significantly reduce their attacking depth, especially with Salah absent. Even if they manage to sign Barcola, Liverpool would still rely heavily on Victor Munoz and young talent like Rio Ngumoha, making Gakpo's proven quality and versatility difficult to replace.