The final days of the summer transfer window usually bring a sense of pure panic, but Manchester City just executed a calculated late raid that will completely shake up the Premier League title race. Manager Enzo Maresca and the City boardroom are closing in on a massive £85 million deal for Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo.
For the hierarchy at Anfield, this is a highly dangerous gamble. They are actively arming the exact team they are trying to dethrone, shipping out a proven attacker in his absolute prime just hours before the market shuts. It is a move that leaves the Liverpool fanbase incredibly nervous while handing City the exact piece of depth they need for a grueling Premier League season.
🚨🔵⚪️ Manchester City confident to close all details of Cody Gakpo deal as soon as Liverpool agree to sign his replacement.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 30, 2026
Deal will cost £85m and Gakpo gave
his green light to signing a five year contract at Man City. pic.twitter.com/eWv8RfxXt2
The financial domino effect
This shocking deadline move did not happen in a vacuum. It is the direct result of a massive financial domino effect inside the boardroom at Anfield. Liverpool recently executed a staggering £123 million deal to sign PSG star Bradley Barcola. In the modern football ecosystem, dropping that kind of cash requires an immediate sacrifice to balance the spreadsheets.
🚨💣 BREAKING: Liverpool reach verbal agreement to sign Bradley Barcola, HERE WE GO! 🔴
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 27, 2026
Initial fee worth £100m plus add-ons — up to €140m possible total package for PSG.
Documents to be exchanged in 24 hours.#LFC get their top target: never in doubt and now done. pic.twitter.com/ruDJAbIhtK
Gakpo found himself caught right in the middle of this numbers game. He actually started for Liverpool over the weekend, delivering an inch perfect assist for Alexander Isak during a frustrating 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. He was substituted in the 71st minute, a tactical shift that fans now realize was specifically executed to protect their £85 million asset from a last minute injury.
The Dutchman had already been in talks over a move to Tottenham Hotspur, but once City came knocking, the 27-year-old Dutch international made his preference known.
Crossing enemy lines
Direct business between Premier League title rivals is rare, but history proves it always leaves permanent scars. Arsenal supporters never forgave Robin van Persie for jumping ship to Manchester United in 2012 to claim their 20th league title. Liverpool fans felt that exact sting when Fernando Torres moved to Chelsea for £50 million in 2011, and again when Raheem Sterling forced a £49 million switch to Manchester City in 2015.
Gakpo now steps directly into that volatile lineage. The difference today is the cold calculation behind the deal. Liverpool know the optics look brutal to the Kop, but modern financial realities dictate decisions over tribal pride. City get a proven, versatile weapon for the title run, Liverpool balance the books after buying Barcola, and traditional rivalry takes a back seat to cold boardroom math.
The captain speaks out
The internal tension surrounding the transfer is already spilling out into the open. As reported by James Pearce of The Atheltic, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk made his feelings completely clear on the matter. The Dutch defender publicly stated that he wants his international teammate to remain at Anfield, pointing out that Gakpo is not just a crucial member of the suqad but also his close friend.
He’s a quality player. I think we should keep quality players. Let’s see what the next few days bring. I want him to stay not only because he’s a quality player but also because he’s a friend of mine. He’s very important for us.
However, the fans are on a tangent of their own. A quick scan of the Liverpool social media ecosystem reveals pure rage directed at the ownership.
The #NoToSarr movement
The Liverpool dfanbase has completely erupted over the reported replacement strategy. The hashtag #NoToSarr is currently trending globally across social media as supporters aggressively protest the potential arrival of Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr.
The frustration stems entirely from the profile of the player and the absurd economics of the deal. Crystal Palace is reportedly demanding a staggering £75 million to sanction the deadline transfer. To the match going fans, spending that kind of money on a 28-year-old attacker known for a rather inconsistent attacker with a injury record of his own to further pile up the frustration of Anfield faithful.
Sarr has bounced between Watford, Marseille, and Crystal Palace, with moments here and there but nothing substantial enough to earn a £75 million move to a club like Liverpool.
However, Barcola’s arrival is a massive boost for the Merseyside team and could actually be an upgrade over Gakpo in the attacking third for Iraola’s side. On the other hand, going for Sarr is quite unlike Liverpool having signed stellar talents since the previous summer transfer window.
