City brace for Gakpo tug-of-war as £85m bid looms
Manchester City are ready to test Liverpool's resolve with an £85m package for Cody Gakpo, a figure that comfortably exceeds the £70m price tag the Reds were thought to have slapped on the Dutchman.
The bid follows an agreement between City and the player's camp, with personal terms already sorted. The two clubs are now in contact over the fee, though Liverpool's willingness to sanction a sale hinges on finding a replacement first.
That is where things get complicated.
The Reds have already secured Victor Munoz this summer but are determined to land two more wingers before letting Gakpo walk. They have agreed a staggering £123m deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola and are working on their next attacking addition. Talks have also taken place with Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh, while discussions with PSG for Ibrahim Mbaye have stalled — the youngster is now poised to join Aston Villa instead.
If Liverpool get Barcola over the line alongside either Sarr or Minteh, the door would likely swing open for City to pounce.
City's interest is no secret. They burst into the race on Monday, with Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi having requested Gakpo after already landing Savio and Omar Marmoush. David Ornstein has since revealed the player has picked City over Spurs — a blow for a Tottenham side that had hoped to add another attacking piece.
The 27-year-old had a frustrating season by his own standards, and more than a few Liverpool supporters were left tearing their hair out. But recent form has been far more encouraging. He scored three times for the Netherlands at the World Cup and produced a lovely assist in Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday lunchtime, turning away from his marker before picking out Alexander Isak at the back post with a low cross.
City view Gakpo as a direct replacement for Savio, with Enzo Maresca also needing reinforcements out wide while Jeremy Doku recovers from a calf injury that will keep him sidelined for several weeks.
Whether Liverpool actually let him go remains the question. They have set their price, but City's offer is said to be well above it. The ball, as they say, is in Liverpool's court.