Liverpool Rejects Manchester City's £80m Bid for Cody Gakpo as Transfer Talks Stall

Manchester City opened formal talks with Liverpool in late August 2026, aiming to sign Dutch forward Cody Gakpo. The deal quickly became one of the most talked-about stories as the transfer window neared its deadline.

Initial reports from outlets like BBC Sport and Telegraaf described Gakpo as a major target for City, with other clubs such as Tottenham also showing interest. According to Time.news, Gakpo himself appeared to favor a move to Manchester City over Tottenham, raising the stakes for Liverpool.

On August 29, news broke that Manchester City had submitted a major bid for Gakpo. Sky Sports reported that Liverpool rejected City's £80 million offer, citing concerns over finding a suitable replacement before the window closed. Despite the setback, City continued to explore their options, while Tottenham reportedly moved on to other targets.

Reports from the Netherlands, such as Telegraaf and BirGün, suggested the transfer fee could reach as high as 99 million euros, with PSV Eindhoven set to profit from any deal due to Gakpo's previous ties to the club. Throughout this period, media consistently described Gakpo as favoring a move to City, and some outlets, including Time.news and BirGün, went so far as to say the transfer was close to completion pending Liverpool's approval.

However, Liverpool's stance remained firm. Al Jazeera highlighted that Liverpool's recent signing of Bradley Barcola complicated matters, and that key squad members, including Virgil van Dijk, wanted Gakpo to stay. By August 31, conflicting reports emerged: some outlets still suggested a deal was imminent, while others noted Liverpool's continued reluctance.

By the end of August, the narrative shifted. BBC Sport and ESPN FC both reported that Manchester City was close to abandoning the move, with Liverpool rejecting the bid and showing no intention of selling Gakpo.

As of August 31, Cody Gakpo is set to remain at Liverpool. The club rejected Manchester City's £80 million bid and is not seeking to negotiate further, according to the BBC and ESPN FC. Gakpo has recently extended his contract with Liverpool until 2028, further signaling the club's commitment to keeping the Dutch forward.

With the summer transfer window closing, Manchester City is expected to look elsewhere for reinforcements. Liverpool, for now, retains one of its key attacking players.