Liverpool star set to join Premier League rivals

Liverpool star set to join Premier League rivals Cody Gakpo to Manchester City talks advance as Liverpool reshape attack Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has decided he wants to join Manchester City, with talks now under way between the clubs as the next steps are explored. According to The Athletic, the 27-year-old has chosen against a move to Tottenham Hotspur and is pushing to complete a switch to the Etihad. This is a significant development in Liverpool’s summer planning. Gakpo remains an established senior attacker and only recently featured in the club’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, where he started and registered an assist. Yet the direction of travel has been building for a little while, particularly as Liverpool moved to finalise a deal for Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. Gakpo transfer points to major Liverpool shift From Liverpool’s perspective, this feels like one of those moments where several strands of business begin to connect. Barcola’s expected arrival alters the shape of the attacking unit, and Gakpo’s potential departure would create both room in the squad and fresh financial flexibility. City, for their part, have been active in the market after the exits of Savinho and Omar Marmoush to Tottenham, while also agreeing a €40m, £34.3m, $46.4m deal to sign Allan Elias from Palmeiras. Andoni Iraola had already signalled uncertainty when he said earlier this week that he “cannot guarantee anything” regarding Gakpo’s future. That line now looks especially telling. Managers often protect themselves with broad language in public, but in this case it appears to have reflected the genuine possibility of movement. Photo: IMAGO Gakpo’s Liverpool story has contained strong spells and difficult ones. He scored 18 goals and supplied seven assists in 49 appearances during the 2024-25 Premier League title-winning campaign, enough to earn a new five-year contract in August 2025. Since then, his form has dipped. After a decent opening to 2025-26, he managed only three league goals after the turn of the year, despite featuring in every fixture and regularly starting. Why Manchester City see logic in move From City’s side, the rationale is relatively clear. The search for attacking support around Erling Haaland has rarely been straightforward. As noted in the original report, “It is always going to be difficult to find somebody who is willing to be an alternative to Erling Haaland, because they know they will not play too much.” That challenge has shaped previous recruitment thinking and helps explain why Gakpo appeals. He brings Premier League experience, a credible scoring record, and tactical flexibility. He can operate centrally or from wide areas, and his physical profile suits a side that often need options against different defensive structures. The report also notes that “there does appear to be plenty of logic behind the move. He can also play wide, which is useful.” There will still be questions around value. The fee required is expected to be sizeable, and City know that premium follows them in the market. Equally, this is not a transfer that instantly generates universal excitement. As the report put it, “it is not a name that excites given he has not torn up too many trees at Anfield, but it may be that the signing makes sense.” That may prove to be the clearest summary of City’s stance. Liverpool record leaves room for debate Gakpo arrived from PSV Eindhoven in December 2022 for an initial £37 million, potentially rising to £44m with add-ons, and made an immediate impact. Seven Premier League goals in the second half of that first season underlined his quality. In total, he has posted 50 goals and 23 assists in 180 appearances for Liverpool, a respectable return even if the overall picture has fluctuated. For Liverpool, the decision now is whether this is the right point to part ways. If a player wants the move and a strong offer arrives, clubs often conclude that timing matters as much as talent. With Barcola lined up and the attack evolving again, this may simply be one of those deals that suits all sides if the numbers align. Our View Speaking as a slightly confused Liverpool supporter, this is one of those reports that leaves you staring at the ceiling for a bit. On one hand, Gakpo has never fully felt like a settled, untouchable figure at Anfield, even though the numbers are solid and there have been long stretches where he has looked vital. On the other, selling him to Manchester City feels uncomfortable on every level. You can understand the logic. Barcola coming in changes things, Iraola is clearly shaping the squad in his own image, and if Gakpo has “decided to join Manchester City” then Liverpool may simply be responding to the reality in front of them. A club can only push against that for so long. Still, there is an unease when a proven Premier League attacker leaves for a direct rival. The other part of this is emotional. Gakpo has carried himself well, produced important moments, and handled personal hardship with dignity. That matters to supporters. So while some fans may see this as smart squad churn, others will feel Liverpool are giving City a useful, versatile forward who could easily thrive in a more specialised role. Maybe this ends up being one of those transfers that makes perfect sense on a spreadsheet. Maybe Barcola lifts the ceiling of the attack and everyone moves on quickly. Right now, though, it is hard to shake the feeling that Liverpool could be helping a rival solve a problem while creating a fresh debate of their own.