Roberto De Zerbi wants Tottenham to raid Liverpool, with Spurs putting a five-year deal on the table for a Reds star and preparing to lodge a club-to-club offer.
Spurs are very active presently. Last season’s 17th-placed Premier League finishers have already signed three players this summer – Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Jan Paul van Hecke – and are linked with heaps more.
Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, Savinho and Cody Gakpo are among them, as the midfield and attack are seemingly in line for a freshen up after the defence has been taken care of.
For Gakpo, a journalist has revealed De Zerbi personally wants him, and Spurs are therefore ready to lodge a bid to Liverpool.
That’s after they have already made progress on the player side. No offer has been accepted, but it has been lodged, with it said Gakpo has been offered a deal until 2031 at Tottenham.
It’s believed he would be given a key role in De Zerbi’s system – something he might no longer have at Liverpool.
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Gakpo worried about Liverpool role
Indeed, TEAMtalk is aware that the Dutchman has concerns over his role under Andoni Iraola, specifically in the context of the development of teenager winger Rio Ngumoha.
Sources state Gakpo is unhappy about the prospect of finding himself behind Ngumoha in the pecking order.
Indeed, Liverpool view the young winger as a bright talent who can be a very important player for them, and he’s expected to become a cornerstone of new boss Iraola’s plans.
Gakpo remains ambitious and is not ready to accept a reduced role, and is therefore sounding out potential opportunities.
For their part, Liverpool don’t see the winger as untouchable and could let him go for the right offer.
But while Tottenham are reported to be pushing for Gakpo, Spurs insider John Wenham thinks the pursuit is all smoke and mirrors, with Manchester City’s Savinho the real target for the wing.
Speaking on the links, he said: “These Gakpo links are surely nonsense. You’d imagine it’s to maybe up the ante on Man City and Savinho.”