Liverpool could be about to lose another important attacking player — but the club are refusing to sign off on Cody Gakpo’s departure until they bring in a replacement.
According to Wilson Cox LFC, Manchester City have reached an agreement in principle to sign Gakpo from Liverpool this summer for €100 million.
However, Liverpool have made their position clear.
They will not give the green light to the deal until a replacement is through the door.
And with Deadline Day fast approaching, the next few days could be absolutely crucial.
Gakpo to Manchester City?
It still feels strange even writing those words.
Gakpo has been an important player for Liverpool since arriving from PSV and has shown his versatility by operating from the left, right and through the middle.
But following Liverpool’s huge move for Bradley Barcola, his future has suddenly become uncertain.
David Ornstein has already reported that Gakpo has chosen Manchester City, with talks taking place between the clubs.
Now it appears an agreement in principle could be in place.
€100m is a huge amount of money.
But Liverpool need to make sure they don’t simply take the money and leave Andoni Iraola with an even smaller squad.
No replacement, no Gakpo
This is the most encouraging part of the report for me.
Liverpool apparently aren’t prepared to allow Gakpo to leave until they have another attacking player secured.
That is exactly how it should be.
The squad was already thin.
Mohamed Salah has gone.
Andy Robertson has gone.
Curtis Jones has gone.
Ibrahima Konaté has gone.
And now Gakpo could be heading for the exit.
Liverpool cannot afford to keep losing first-team players without replacing them.
Barcola has arrived, but if Gakpo leaves, Liverpool still need another attacking option.
Liverpool try again for Ismaïla Sarr
One of the players Liverpool appear to be pursuing is Crystal Palace forward Ismaïla Sarr.
According to Cox, Liverpool have had a verbal offer rejected by Palace in recent hours.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Reds will walk away.
Liverpool have already shown an interest in Sarr and his versatility could make him an attractive option for Iraola.
He can play from either flank and has also been used centrally.
That’s exactly the sort of flexibility Liverpool need.
Sarr has one particularly interesting statistic
There’s another reason Liverpool supporters might be interested in Sarr.
He has a fantastic record against Liverpool.
Across his appearances for Watford and Palace, Sarr has scored seven goals and provided two assists in 10 games against the Reds.
Obviously, past records don’t guarantee future success.
But Liverpool fans have seen first-hand how dangerous he can be.
The problem is getting Palace to sell.
They don’t appear particularly keen to lose him.
Kevin Schade also being considered
Liverpool aren’t putting all their eggs in one basket either.
According to the report, Brentford’s Kevin Schade is among the other players being considered.
That is important.
With so little time remaining, Liverpool need alternatives.
If Palace refuse to negotiate over Sarr, they need to be able to move quickly for somebody else.
And the fact that Liverpool are still contacting multiple names suggests the recruitment team are doing exactly that.
Who will Liverpool choose?
That’s the fascinating part.
Liverpool appear to have several possibilities.
Sarr.
Schade.
And potentially other targets that haven’t yet been publicly revealed.
The club have already gone through a long list of wingers this summer.
Barcola was the priority.
Now another attacking player appears to be required.
And with the Gakpo situation developing so quickly, Liverpool don’t have the luxury of taking weeks to decide.
£100m is difficult to turn down
We also have to acknowledge the financial side.
If Liverpool really can receive around €100m for Gakpo, that’s an enormous transfer fee.
It would give the club significant funds to reinvest.
But the question isn’t whether Liverpool can make money from the deal.
It’s whether they can make the squad better.
If Gakpo leaves for €100m and Liverpool sign a player who can adequately replace him, perhaps it makes sense.
If he leaves and Liverpool fail to replace him, it could be disastrous.
Iraola needs more options, not fewer
This is where my biggest concern remains.
Iraola has already inherited a squad that has been heavily changed.
He’s lost experienced players.
He’s dealing with injuries.
And he’s expected to compete across multiple competitions.
The last thing he needs is another first-team player leaving without a replacement.
That’s why I’m actually pleased to see Liverpool apparently taking this stance.
Gakpo can leave — but only when his replacement is ready.
That’s sensible squad management.
My verdict
Liverpool’s transfer window could be about to become extremely interesting.
Manchester City want Cody Gakpo.
An agreement in principle is reportedly in place for €100m.
But Liverpool won’t sign off on it until another attacker arrives.
They’ve already had an offer rejected for Ismaïla Sarr.
Kevin Schade is being considered.
And the club are reportedly still contacting multiple other targets.
So now we wait.
Who will Liverpool choose?
Because one thing is becoming increasingly clear.
If Gakpo leaves, Liverpool need another attacker through the door before Tuesday.
Barcola has arrived.
But losing Gakpo means Iraola needs another option.
The clock is ticking.
And Liverpool’s recruitment team have a huge decision to make.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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