Tottenham Hotspur have held positive talks to sign Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo after their pursuit of AFC Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi collapsed due to injury.
Kroupi suffered a foot injury that ended Spurs’ interest, forcing the north London club to redirect their attention toward alternative attacking options in the summer window.
Tottenham have already bolstered their midfield this summer, making two significant additions in Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes as they look to build a competitive squad.
Gakpo has now emerged as a primary attacking target for Spurs, with the Dutch forward having spent three-and-a-half productive seasons at Anfield since arriving from PSV Eindhoven.
According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham have held positive talks with Gakpo’s agent, and the 27-year-old is now open to a move to north London.
Spurs have also made direct contact with Liverpool over a potential deal, but Andoni Iraola’s side are not prepared to let the forward leave this summer.
Unless Liverpool’s stance changes, Tottenham may ultimately be forced to abandon their pursuit and turn their attention toward other targets.
Gakpo has been a reliable contributor at Liverpool, amassing 50 goals and 23 assists in 180 appearances across all competitions for the Reds.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once spoke highly of the winger, saying: “He is good on the ball, you can see in his finishing he is a sensational finisher. His shooting from distance [is] outstanding, but in the games he is a bit in a rush and now in the moment not in the right position. It is an extreme strength of his and he has a long-term contract here and everybody will see that.”
At international level, Gakpo has also impressed significantly, netting 24 goals in 54 appearances for the Netherlands and recording four goal involvements in as many matches at the World Cup.
Liverpool’s decision to sign Victor Munoz earlier this summer could limit Gakpo’s playing time, potentially making him more receptive to a fresh challenge elsewhere.
However, questions remain over his consistency in front of goal domestically, as he scored just seven Premier League goals last season despite missing only one match.
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres has also been identified as an option for Tottenham, having scored the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final.
Torres contributed 16 goals in La Liga last season, playing a key role in Barcelona’s title triumph, and has recorded 65 goals and 23 assists in 207 appearances for the Spanish club.
With just one year remaining on his Barcelona contract, Torres is available at a potentially reduced cost as the La Liga champions seek to either cash in or extend his deal.
Tottenham have also made contact over a potential move for Nottingham Forest forward Igor Jesus as they continue their search for attacking reinforcements ahead of the new campaign.