Cody Gakpo appears set to stay at Liverpool after the Merseyside club rejected a bid of up to £80million (€93m, $108m) for the forward from Manchester City.Gakpo, 27, had been keen to make the move to Enzo Maresca’s side, with fellow left-sided attacker Bradley Barcola completing his move to Anfield from Paris Saint-Germain.But all parties have now been in direct communication to confirm the deal is off after City’s bid of an initial £75m and £5m in add-ons was turned down. City are now fully focused on trying to sign Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea, who they have been interested in throughout this summer.The Athletic reported on Saturday that Gakpo had decided to join City, with all parties in talks to reach an agreement. He decided against a move to Tottenham Hotspur, and the north London club later agreed a deal with Everton to sign forward Iliman Ndiaye.Gakpo started both of Liverpool’s opening Premier League fixtures, scoring in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United and providing an assist in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Nottingham Forest.This news comes after Liverpool completed the signing of Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain, in a package worth £106m plus add-ons potentially rising to £17m.Gakpo signed a new five-year contract with Liverpool in August 2025, after recording 18 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances during Liverpool’s 2024-25 Premier League title-winning season. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk expressed his desire for the club to keep Gakpo following Saturday’s draw against Forest.“He’s a quality player. I think we should keep quality players,” he said. “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.”The Athletic reported a week ago that City were interested in signing Gakpo, and the Manchester club have since seen forwards Omar Marmoush and Savinho depart for Tottenham Hotspur. City announced on Monday the signing of winger Allan Elias in a €40m deal from Palmeiras.Gakpo endured a mixed 2025-26 season which saw him struggle for form after a relatively strong start. He scored only three times in the league since the turn of the year, featuring in every fixture and regularly starting.At this summer’s World Cup, he netted three goals in four appearances as his side exited in the last 32 on penalties against Morocco. He made himself available for selection just days after his partner, Noa, revealed they lost their child during pregnancy.Liverpool signed Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in a deal worth an initial £37m, potentially rising to £44m with add-ons, in December 2022. He had an immediate impact at Anfield, scoring seven times in 21 Premier League matches in the second half of that season.In total, Gakpo has recorded 50 goals and 23 assists in 180 appearances for the Merseyside club.Aug 31, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms