Manchester City open transfer talks with Liverpool for Cody Gakpo

Manchester City have opened talks with Liverpool about signing Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo as the transfer window enters its final three days. City made formal contact with Liverpool on Saturday evening and are understood to be Gakpo's preferred destination if he leaves Anfield before Tuesday's deadline.

Gakpo, 27, joined Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 and has attracted concrete interest from both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola worth up to £123m, but the club would prefer to recruit another forward before permitting Gakpo to depart. The Reds also hold interest in Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh and Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr.

On the field this season Gakpo has contributed a goal and an assist in Liverpool's opening two matches, scoring in last week's draw at Newcastle and providing the assist for Alexander Isak's goal in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at Anfield. Liverpool view him as a proven, multi-functional Premier League attacker based on those contributions and his prior record of 33 goals in 91 Premier League appearances.

Sources say City and Tottenham have made concrete approaches, with Manchester City initiating formal contact with Liverpool on Saturday evening. The club-level understanding throughout the summer has been that if Liverpool are able to bring in the attacking reinforcements they seek, they would not stand in the way of Gakpo's departure for a solid offer.

Liverpool are actively seeking incoming wide players before the window closes; with the arrival of Victor Munoz, the emergence of Rio Ngumoha and Barcola's imminent move from PSG, Gakpo is aware he may no longer be automatic first choice at Anfield. Club sources add that, given those squad developments, a transfer away would not come as a surprise should an agreement be reached.

Financially, a sale for about £85m would represent a strong return for Liverpool, who paid £35m to sign Gakpo from PSV after the World Cup in 2022. However, the club faces squad risk: Hugo Ekitike is missing until 2027 with a ruptured Achilles tendon and Alexander Isak has had injury struggles, a combination Liverpool say would make letting Gakpo leave a significant gamble.

Gakpo's future has become one of the key storylines heading into the final three days of the transfer window, and Liverpool have indicated they will consider the situation carefully before sanctioning any move ahead of Tuesday's deadline.