Tottenham's Bold Attack Reshape: Gakpo at the Center

Tottenham are pushing towards a bold reshaping of their attack, and Cody Gakpo has moved to the centre of that plan.

After a summer of heavy lifting in other areas of the pitch, Spurs are now ready to throw their weight at the wings.

Spurs spend big, then look wide

The early weeks of the window were ruthless and expensive in north London. Tottenham dropped around £237m on Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, then quietly cleaned up in the free-agent market with Martin Dubravka, Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson.

Goalkeeper? Addressed. Defence? Reinforced. Midfield? Upgraded.

Now comes the glamorous part: the forward line.

On the right, Tottenham have zeroed in on Savinho. The Brazilian has already told Manchester City he wants out and has given the nod to Spurs. Club-to-club talks have been ongoing, and the expectation around the deal is clear: a package in the region of £60m should be enough to drag him out of the Etihad and into Ange Postecoglou’s system.

That was supposed to be only half of the story.

Kroupi blow forces a rethink

Tottenham had lined up another move, this time through the middle. TEAMtalk revealed they were less than 24 hours from lodging an opening bid for Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi when disaster struck. A fractured metatarsal, surgery, and a three-to-four-month lay-off slammed the brakes on any transfer.

With Kroupi off the market until at least the winter, Spurs needed a new solution – someone who could play wide but also step inside and lead the line.

That search has brought them back to Merseyside.

Gakpo moves to the front of the queue

Cody Gakpo, 27 and already a regular for the Netherlands, has emerged as a live option. Fabrizio Romano recently flagged the situation, describing Gakpo as “one to watch” for Tottenham in the coming weeks and stressing how much Spurs “really like the player.”

The interest has now sharpened.

Journalist Paul O’Keefe reported on X that Gakpo is “now a leading contender as Tottenham look to add to their attacking options,” a clear sign that the Dutchman has moved from scouting notes to serious consideration.

Gakpo’s profile fits the brief. He operates primarily off the left, driving inside and attacking the box, but Liverpool have also used him as a central striker. That dual role is exactly the kind of flexibility Tottenham hoped to secure with Kroupi. Instead of a pure No 9, they could land a wide forward who can morph into a centre-forward when the system demands it.

The idea is obvious: Savinho on one flank, Gakpo on the other, with both able to interchange and stretch defences in different ways.

Liverpool name their price

There is, of course, a catch. Liverpool will not let Gakpo leave cheaply.

Anfield Watch report that the Reds have set their valuation at around £72m (€85m). That figure has not appeared out of thin air. Liverpool are understood to have used Anthony Gordon’s £69m move to Barcelona as the benchmark for their stance, nudging their own number slightly higher.

“Anfield Watch understands Liverpool have priced Cody Gakpo at £72m (€85m),” the outlet wrote on X. “They’ve used Anthony Gordon’s move to Barcelona as a base for their valuation.”

For Spurs, it would mean another major outlay in a window that has already seen them commit hundreds of millions to reshape the squad. For Liverpool, it would represent a hefty profit and a statement that they will only sell on their terms.

The negotiation, if it comes, will be brutal.

A double wing gamble

Should Tottenham push through a deal for Gakpo on top of Savinho, it would mark a decisive shift in their attacking identity. Two high-profile wide forwards, both comfortable drifting into central zones, would give Postecoglou the kind of fluid front line that can change shape within a single attack.

The price tag is steep. The ambition is even steeper.

If Spurs decide to pay Liverpool’s number, they won’t just be buying a left winger. They’ll be betting a huge slice of their project on Cody Gakpo becoming the versatile, goal-hungry focal point their evolving attack demands.