Andoni Iraola responds to Manchester City and Spurs' interest in Cody Gakpo

Is Cody Gakpo going to leave Liverpool in the final week of the transfer window?

The Dutch international has perennially been linked with a move to Tottenham, who are still eager to recruit the 27 year old.

However, after announcing the signing of Savinho from Manchester City, paying £75 million plus £10 million in add ons, perhaps that will inhibit Spurs' potential to spend big again.

Thus, it was reported on Monday evening by Fabrizio Romano that the Sky Blues had "made contact" with Gakpo's camp, attempting to persuade him to move to the Etihad. The latest reporting is that "there have not been any club-to-club talks", but the Citizens do need reinforcements, having seen a mass exodus of players following Pep Guardiola out of Manchester.

Thus, everything seems to suggest that Gakpo's Liverpool career will soon come to an end, but would this be a mistake? Well, the Netherlands international started and scored in the Reds' Premier League opener against Newcastle United on Sunday.

Speaking to Viaplay after the match, head coach Andoni Iraola reiterated Gakpo's importance, and did not make it seems as though he is prepared to let the attack go:

"Cody has been one of our best players. I said it before the game, his pre-season has been very good. Today he has scored, he asked for the ball every time. A lot of dangerous crosses, arrivals. He's playing very well yes. "

Andoni Iraola on Cody Gakpo

Iraola may be playing his cards very close to his chest, but he did not sound like a manager willing to allow a key player to depart. Since his introductory press conference at AXA Training Centre last month, the 44 year old Basque coach has spoken very openly and honestly on every topic he has been asked about, so there's little reason to believe he isn't doing so again.

So, has Gakpo been one of the Reds' "best players" since Iraola's arrival, as the manager asserts? Well, this has probably been the case. In one of only two pre-season appearances, starting the 2-0 win over Como at Anfield, Gakpo opened the scoring, before turning provider, his low cross tapped in by Jérémy Jacquet.

He then followed that up by netting on the Premier League's opening day during the frenetic 2-2 draw on Tyneside. This took the Dutchman's tally to 51 goals in 181 appearances since arriving from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023. He remains one of Liverpool's most reliable attackers, so selling him would be a mistake, even if Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh were to arrive.

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