Deadline Day Domino Effect: Barcola In, Gakpo Out, Spurs Scramble for Pulisic
Published on HivePostify by @cryptmastern · Tue Sep 01 2026
Liverpool's blockbuster pursuit of Bradley Barcola is set to trigger a chain reaction across the Premier League, with Cody Gakpo now expected to leave Anfield for Manchester City — a decision that has left Tottenham scrambling for late alternatives ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline.
According to Sky Sports, Manchester City have opened formal talks with Liverpool over a deal for Gakpo, with personal terms discussions already underway. The move comes after City lost attacking depth of their own this summer, having allowed wingers Savio and Omar Marmoush to join Tottenham, while Jack Grealish's future also remains unresolved amid interest from Everton and Sunderland. Notably, City didn't name a single recognised winger on the bench in their recent win over Crystal Palace, with Enzo Maresca forced to use Phil Foden — who Maresca himself admitted "is not a winger" — out wide.
For Liverpool, Gakpo's proposed departure fits neatly with their pursuit of Bradley Barcola, who remains on track to complete a £120m-plus move from PSG. With Barcola arriving as a long-term option to help fill the creative void left by Mohamed Salah's confirmed exit at season's end, Liverpool appear ready to sanction Gakpo's sale to fund further business — Sky Sports also report Liverpool are continuing to shop for a second winger, with Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr reportedly "pushing" to join before the window shuts.
The move has left Tottenham reeling. Spurs had been prepared to spend in excess of £70m on Gakpo, according to Football365, but the Dutchman's late change of heart in City's favour has forced Roberto De Zerbi's side to pivot hard. TEAMtalk reports Tottenham have made enquiries for AC Milan's Christian Pulisic, alongside interest in Lyon's Malick Fofana, Eintracht Frankfurt's Jean-Matteo Bahoya, and Lille's Matheus Fernandez-Pardo — with Pulisic seen as the most experienced and versatile option given his ability to play across multiple forward positions.
Adding another twist, Tottenham had also been in the mix for Everton's Iliman Ndiaye, according to Sports Illustrated, but with Gakpo now off the table for Spurs, City appear to be circling back into that race as well — creating a genuinely chaotic final 24 hours across multiple clubs simultaneously.
Despite all the noise, Gakpo actually started Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest over the weekend and even provided an assist, remaining fully part of Andoni Iraola's plans for now — a reminder that, as always on deadline day, nothing is final until it's signed.
Sources: https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/12691/13578859/cody-gakpo-transfer-news-manchester-city-open-talks-to-sign-liverpool-forward https://www.football365.com/news/tottenham-switch-focus-christian-pulisic-after-gakpo-picks-man-city
Tags: #hive#football#soccer#premierleague#transfers#hive-115814#sportsblock