Liverpool's Strategic Shift: Cody Gakpo's Role Redefined

Liverpool’s summer with Cody Gakpo was supposed to end with a handshake and a record fee. It hasn’t. Now the club have flipped the script.

A move to Manchester City looked so advanced that, according to reports in the Netherlands, financial terms for Gakpo’s exit had already been agreed. Tottenham were also ready to pay the asking price – around €100m – and Liverpool had quietly accepted that the Dutchman was among the few they would cash in on if the numbers hit that level.

They did. Twice. And still he stayed.

A transfer that died at the finish line

City accelerated their pursuit of Gakpo in the final days of the window as they searched for a replacement for Savio. Liverpool listened. The package was right, the market timing made sense, and Gakpo, fresh from an excellent World Cup and a sharp start to the 2026/27 season, had serious leverage.

Dutch outlet Dagblad reported that Gakpo even spoke directly with Liverpool’s owners on Tuesday, a conversation described as being “partly to clear the air.” By then, he had chosen City over Spurs. The pathway was there, the fee was acceptable, the player aligned.

Then came the hard stop.

Dagblad’s account painted the picture: both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur were prepared to meet Liverpool’s conditions. Gakpo opted for City, only to be told he would not be allowed to move after all. Any alternative deal? Off the table. The window closed with the forward still in red.

From sale candidate to central pillar

What looked like a strategic sale has now become a strategic reset. According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Liverpool have drawn up a “new plan” for Gakpo, one that places him at the heart of Andoni Iraola’s project for the rest of the season.

The club did not bring in a replacement. That decision says as much about their view of Gakpo as any glowing internal briefing.

“Gakpo will be a key player for Liverpool this season, definitely,” O’Rourke said, underlining a shift from expendable asset to essential piece. The numbers from the opening weeks back that up: a goal against Newcastle on the opening weekend, a smart assist against Nottingham Forest, and performances that show a player comfortable drifting between roles across the front line.

That versatility has become the hinge on which Liverpool’s thinking now turns. Gakpo can operate off the left, tuck inside as a second striker, or drop deeper to link play. For a coach like Iraola, who thrives on fluid movement and quick transitions, that profile is gold.

Iraola’s stance and the message sent

The late U-turn also reveals plenty about the manager’s influence. O’Rourke stressed that while Liverpool “considered Man City’s offer” and acknowledged the “top dollar” on the table, Iraola did not want to lose the Dutchman. The club ultimately backed their head coach.

It is a clear statement inside the dressing room. A player who had one foot out of the door is now being told he is central to any success Liverpool enjoy this season. That can either fracture trust or fuel a response.

So far, Gakpo’s reaction has been professional and productive. Strong World Cup. Strong start to the league. No sulking, no public agitation. Just performances.

Liverpool’s hierarchy will see that as vindication. They gambled on football value over pure financial logic. At €100m, very few forwards are considered unsellable. Gakpo, for this season at least, became one.

The question now is simple and ruthless: can he make himself worth that decision every single week?