Tottenham target Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo as Roberto de Zerbi reshapes squad

Tottenham are keen on a move for Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo as Roberto de Zerbi continues reshaping his squad.

Any deal would be far from straightforward. Liverpool are reluctant to weaken their attacking options, particularly after Mohamed Salah's departure and with Hugo Ekitike still recovering from an Achilles injury.

The Reds are themselves pursuing Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola but, even if he arrived, Liverpool would be losing one of their most experienced attackers.

So why are Spurs interested? And what do the numbers suggest Gakpo would bring to De Zerbi's side?

On the surface, Gakpo looks like another left winger. In reality, he offers considerably more tactical flexibility.

Although he has played most of his football for Liverpool from the left, the Netherlands international has regularly been used as a central striker, false nine and second forward. De Zerbi reportedly views him as someone capable of operating through the middle, dropping between the lines to link play before releasing runners beyond him.

That profile fits the Italian's football. Instead of relying on a traditional penalty-box striker, De Zerbi often asks his centre forward to vacate central spaces, combine with midfielders and create room for wide players to attack. Gakpo possesses the technical quality, close control and positional intelligence to perform that role while also providing cover on the left.

His versatility would also offer Tottenham valuable insurance across multiple positions. Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel are both natural central forwards, but neither provide the same ability to move seamlessly between the wing and the middle.

Gakpo's 2025-26 campaign divided opinion among Liverpool supporters, with seven Premier League goals representing his lowest return in a full season at Anfield.

The underlying data, however, paints a far more encouraging picture. Though Liverpool struggled collectively, Gakpo actually remained one of Europe's most dangerous wide forwards in terms of finding scoring opportunities. Only seven wingers across Europe's top five leagues averaged more touches in the opposition penalty area than his 2.2 per 90 minutes, while he also ranked inside the top 10 for both open-play shots and chances created.

His player comparison profile reinforces those strengths. Compared with positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, Gakpo ranked in the 98th percentile for shot frequency, the 96th percentile for advanced involvement and the 91st percentile for box threat. In other words, very few wide players became involved in dangerous attacking situations more regularly.

Those numbers are driven by his willingness to attack space behind defences. Gakpo was caught offside 30 times in the Premier League last season, more than any other player, illustrating how often he looked to run beyond the last defender in search of goalscoring opportunities, as opposed to simply receiving the ball to feet.

At his best, Gakpo regularly attacks the back post, times his runs into the penalty area intelligently and arrives centrally despite starting from the left flank. And, while he endured a difficult season last term, he scored regularly for Liverpool as the Reds won the title in 2024-25, with 18 goals in all competitions.

Gakpo finished last season with a higher expected-goals total (8.59), more shots (87), more assists (five) and more big chances created (10) than any of Spurs' forward options, despite playing in a Liverpool side whose Premier League title defence ended with a fifth-place finish.

Richarlison scored more league goals, but attempted 26 fewer shots and created only half as many big chances. Solanke, limited by injury, produced just 20 shots and one big chance created, while Tel also fell short across several of the key attacking measures. Randal Kolo Muani, who spent last season on loan at Spurs before joining Juventus this summer, likewise trailed Gakpo's output.

The contrast extends beyond goals and shooting. Gakpo recorded 187 touches in the opposition penalty area, compared with 125 for Richarlison, 68 for Tel and 55 for Solanke. His 4.17 expected assists from open play was also comfortably the highest figure among the four, underlining his ability to create chances as well as find scoring positions himself.

He offers defensive value too. Gakpo regained possession 87 times, including 45 in the middle third, and made 13 interceptions. All three totals were higher than those recorded by Richarlison, Tel and Solanke. Tel completed more dribbles, with 39 to Gakpo's 34, although Gakpo posted the slightly better success rate at 45.95%.

His broader profile reflects that breadth. Gakpo ranks in the 78th percentile for link-up play, the 75th for pass progression and the 67th for creative threat, illustrating his comfort combining in tight spaces and contributing to build-up play.

At 6ft 4in, he also provides a physical presence uncommon among wide forwards. Gakpo ranks in the 96th percentile for aerial volume compared with positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, meaning only about 4% of wingers contest aerial balls at a higher rate. That would give De Zerbi another route against deep defensive blocks, through diagonal passes, back-post crosses or more direct balls when opponents restrict Spurs' build-up play.

Those attributes also explain why Liverpool are not actively looking to move him on.

Despite frustration surrounding his performances at times last season, Gakpo remains one of the squad's few established forwards. Losing both him and Salah during the same transfer window would significantly reduce Liverpool's attacking depth, particularly while Ekitike works his way back from injury. Even if the Reds complete a move for Barcola, much would still rest on the shoulders of newcomer Victor Munoz and highly rated 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, making Gakpo's proven quality and range difficult to replace.

The Reds also know Gakpo has consistently delivered in the Premier League.

Since arriving from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, Gakpo has scored seven, eight, 10 and seven league goals across his four seasons at Anfield while adding regular creative contributions. Since November 2024, only Salah has scored more Premier League goals for Liverpool than Gakpo's 17, while only Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai have registered more intentional assists than his five. His output has remained remarkably consistent despite playing under different managers and in multiple attacking roles.

For Tottenham, that combination of reliability and multi-positional value is precisely the attraction. While seven league goals last season may not immediately stand out, the underlying metrics tell a different story. Gakpo continues to generate chances at an elite rate, gets into dangerous positions more frequently than almost any winger in Europe and offers tactical flexibility few forwards can match.

Whether Tottenham can persuade Liverpool to part with one of their most seasoned attackers remains to be seen. But if De Zerbi is looking for someone capable of playing across the front line while consistently threatening the opposition goal, the data offers a compelling explanation for Spurs' interest.