City's pursuit of Cody Gakpo is gathering pace, but the numbers are raising eyebrows.

The Dutch forward has reportedly agreed personal terms ahead of a move to the Etihad, having turned down Tottenham in the process. It is a significant statement of intent from the player, who appears convinced that his future lies in Manchester rather than north London.

Yet the reaction on social media has been far from universally positive. For all Gakpo's decent start to the season, there is a nagging sense among supporters that the club may be paying over the odds. Upwards of £85m for a 27-year-old winger is not the kind of fee that typically gets the pulses racing.

Romano's update suggests Liverpool are willing to sanction the sale, but only on their own terms. The Merseysiders will reportedly only sign off on the transfer if they can secure a replacement within the final days of the window. That is a significant caveat, and one that could yet derail the whole deal.

Liverpool's search for a successor has not been straightforward. They have already missed out on PSG's Ibrahim Mbaye, who has joined Aston Villa, and have seen bids rejected for both Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh. Everton's Iliman Ndiaye was under consideration, but the 26-year-old has instead agreed to join Tottenham in a £60m deal.

Another name in the mix is Chelsea's Pedro Neto, though that move looks complicated for several reasons. The Blues have reportedly slapped a £100m asking price on the Portuguese international, which is not a fee that City would have been prepared to pay anyway. Neto started and scored against Brighton on Sunday, so it is not as if he is deemed surplus to requirements either.

There is also the small matter of Enzo Fernandez. Discussions are reportedly underway to bring the Argentine midfielder to the Etihad as well, but it is hard to see Chelsea agreeing to offload both players to the same club before the deadline, especially as they would want to replace both of them.

For now, Gakpo remains the most likely addition. Whether Liverpool can find a replacement in time is another question entirely. If they cannot, City may have to look elsewhere or wait until the summer.