Spurs Target Cody Gakpo as De Zerbi Seeks Another ‘Bomba’ Signing
Tottenham’s summer of heavy spending shows no sign of slowing, and the next swing of the hammer could land on Merseyside.
Roberto De Zerbi wants a wide attacker to crown an already lavish window, and Cody Gakpo has emerged as a serious target. Spurs have sounded out the Liverpool forward as they look to add another cutting edge to an attack already reshaped in their new head coach’s image.
This is not a straightforward raid. Far from it.
Spurs chase De Zerbi’s ‘bomba’
De Zerbi has been open about what comes next. Tottenham, he says, are preparing another “bomba” signing in attack. The club have already thrown £237m at this window, smashing their transfer record with the £100m arrival of Sandro Tonali and spending £85m on Mateus Fernandes. Senesi and Robertson have followed, each described by De Zerbi as “bomba” players in their own right.
Yet he still wants more.
“The transfer market, it’s not finished for sure,” he said last week. “We completed 60 per cent of our project… now we have another bomba!” The Italian even suggested two, maybe three more arrivals before the window shuts, all aimed at completing a squad he believes can be reshaped at speed.
The next step is clear: a top-level attacker who can operate wide but also hurt teams inside. Gakpo fits that profile.
Liverpool’s dilemma: lose Gakpo or rebuild the wing?
Liverpool, though, are in no rush to open the door. Gakpo has four years left on his contract and sits among the more seasoned forwards in Andoni Iraola’s squad. He offers versatility, too, capable of stepping in as a central striker at a time when Hugo Ekitike is still working back from an Achilles injury.
Letting him go would punch a sizeable hole in their front line.
Liverpool’s stance is blunt: Gakpo does not leave without a replacement already signed. The club are expected to make a formal move for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, but that pursuit is laced with complications. PSG value the 23-year-old at £145m, a price that would test even Liverpool’s resolve and planning.
If the chain reaction does happen – Gakpo out, Barcola in – the picture on the flanks becomes even more delicate. Liverpool would then lean heavily on teenager Rio Ngumoha and new signing Victor Munoz as alternative wing options. It would be a bold reshaping of their attacking depth, and one that would have to convince both the dressing room and the supporters that the trade-off is worth it.
For now, Liverpool hold the stronger hand. Spurs’ interest is real, but the cost – both in fee and in the knock-on effect for Iraola’s squad – will be steep.
Savinho on the radar as Spurs keep options open
Gakpo is not the only name on Tottenham’s attacking list. The club have also explored a deal for Manchester City winger Savinho, another wide forward who wants to be part of De Zerbi’s project.
City know the Brazilian wants the move. They are not ready to act. No formal bid has landed, and Savinho only signed a new contract last summer, which hardens City’s position and drives up the likely price. As with Liverpool and Gakpo, City want their own replacement plans locked in before they even think about cashing in.
Tottenham, then, are pushing at two doors that may take time to open. De Zerbi is clear he wants elite attackers, not stopgaps. The club have already committed to that idea with their spending. Now they are trying to land the kind of wide player who can turn a good side into a ruthless one.
Romero interest grows as Europe circles Spurs’ captain
While Spurs chase firepower, they may yet lose a cornerstone at the back.
Atletico Madrid and Inter remain keen on Cristian Romero, the Tottenham captain who signed a new deal only last year and was handed the armband. Inside the club, there is a growing expectation that he could depart this summer despite that recent show of faith.
De Zerbi has already spoken with the Argentina international and plans further talks when Romero returns from his post-World Cup break. The head coach has hinted he will not block a move if his captain pushes to go, stressing that he does not want to stand in the defender’s way.
Inter have already moved for John Stones to reinforce their defence, and a deal for Romero is seen as financially complex. One piece that could change the equation is Benjamin Pavard. If Pavard leaves, Inter would free up both money and squad space, potentially allowing them to meet Tottenham’s demands.
So Spurs stand at a crossroads: hunting a headline attacking “bomba” while bracing for the possibility of losing their leader at the back. The window has already reshaped the club. The next few weeks will decide just how radical this new De Zerbi era really becomes.
