Manchester United Eye Cody Gakpo Transfer Amid Liverpool Exit Rumors
Manchester United are weighing up a sensational move for Cody Gakpo, with a respected journalist confirming the club’s long-standing admiration for the Liverpool forward.
The prospect of a player crossing the divide between Anfield and Old Trafford is usually the stuff of football folklore rather than reality, yet Gakpo’s situation has quietly nudged his name back into the market conversation.
A dip at club level, a reminder on the biggest stage
Gakpo’s second full season at Liverpool never truly caught fire. Nine goals and six assists in 52 appearances is a modest return for a player signed to be a frontline attacker, especially when set against his first campaign: 18 goals and seven assists in 49 games. The contrast is stark.
On the international stage, he looked far more like the player Liverpool thought they were getting. At the World Cup he struck three times and added an assist in four matches, his direct running and clean finishing standing out before the Netherlands’ shock round-of-32 exit to Morocco.
Liverpool now need that World Cup version of Gakpo to turn up every week. With the club expecting him to shoulder more responsibility, there is even an expectation he could spend more time through the middle to ease the burden on Alexander Isak. The pressure only increases with Hugo Ekitike sidelined until at least January after rupturing his Achilles.
Calm at Anfield, questions elsewhere
Despite the need for him to step up, whispers of a possible exit have never fully gone away. Tottenham Hotspur have placed him on a winger shortlist. Manchester United, for their part, have not forgotten how much they liked him before he ever pulled on a red shirt on Merseyside.
Speaking to The United Stand, reporter Ben Jacobs underlined that long-term interest while pouring cold water on the idea that a move is close.
“He has always been somewhat appreciated, but we know that Man Utd and Liverpool just don’t really do business,” Jacobs said. “So, whether or not that could possibly get off the ground, I’m not so sure.
“There are denials, despite recent reports in the Netherlands, that Gakpo has asked in any way, shape, or form to leave.
“So, Liverpool are quite calm about the situation, but Tottenham might consider that deal. And all we can say is Man Utd loved Gakpo before he joined Liverpool.
“If Gakpo specifically asks to leave Liverpool, then let’s see whether Premier League clubs come forward. And it seems like Tottenham are the most concrete suitor.”
Liverpool are not actively touting him around. However, a bid in the region of £70m would at least force a conversation.
United’s missed chance, Spurs’ opening
For United, Gakpo is the one that got away. Erik ten Hag pushed hard in 2022 for his compatriot, who had become PSV’s standout talent and one of Europe’s most exciting wide forwards. United hesitated. Liverpool did not.
By December of that year, Liverpool had struck a £35m agreement, beating United to the punch and wrapping up the transfer ahead of the January window. Since then, United have continued to track his progress, their admiration never really fading even as their own managerial situation shifted.
Now, though, the landscape has changed. Any move between Liverpool and United would have to overcome not just financial demands but decades of rivalry and a near-total lack of transfer history between the clubs. That’s why, as things stand, Tottenham sit in a far stronger position.
Spurs are exploring wide options with clear intent. Gakpo is one of several names on their radar, alongside Rafael Leao, Savinho and Antonio Nusa. In that company, he represents a Premier League-ready option, proven in England and versatile across the front line.
Liverpool’s stance is firm but not immovable. United’s admiration is real but complicated. Tottenham’s interest is concrete.
If Gakpo decides he wants out and formally asks to leave, the next move will not be about sentiment or rivalry. It will be about which club is brave enough – and bold enough – to put the right offer on the table.
