According to Dutch outlet Soccernews, after Liverpool manager Arne Slot left the club, Netherlands international Cody Gakpo has submitted a transfer request, citing that he “cannot see a future at Liverpool without Slot.” The same report also says Atlético Madrid are “open” to signing the left-sided forward and are looking for options to reshape their attack following Antoine Griezmann’s departure.
From Anfield favourite to exit links
Gakpo joined the Reds in January 2022 for an initial fee of around £37 million. He has made 180 appearances for the club to date, scoring 50 goals and providing 23 assists. Last season he was directly involved in 15 goals in the Premier League, playing a key part in Liverpool’s title-winning campaign in Slot’s first season in charge. Anfield has long relied on rotation up front and width down the flanks; Gakpo was at one point seen as a trusted, ready-made option in Slot’s tactical setup.
This season their defensive structure collapsed, and Liverpool finished fifth, failing to defend their title; Slot paid for it with his job, and the club have appointed Iraola as head coach. In the court of public opinion, Gakpo was repeatedly singled out by supporters as the scapegoat for poor form, yet Slot kept picking him ahead of the younger Rio Ngumoha—a tension that grew increasingly public late in the campaign. If the Dutch reports are accurate, the player moving quickly to leave after his mentor’s departure is not illogical on its face, but whether a transfer request has actually been lodged still needs corroboration from more independent sources.
Atlético as suitors and valuation: a deal that won’t come cheap
On Atlético’s side, Griezmann will join MLS side Orlando City when his contract expires, and the La Liga giants need a new focal point up front. Reports have listed Gakpo as a potential replacement and cited Transfermarkt’s valuation at around €60 million (roughly £52 million). Sources also stress that completing the move “would require a hefty fee,” though a deal is not entirely out of the question.
Judging from Atlético’s recent league run, they could still impose control late in the 2025 season: in some matches possession sat between 57% and 61%, passing accuracy peaked at 90%, and they won 1-0 at home; in draws they managed 12 to 15 shots and six to seven on target, suggesting they still have the foundation to create danger in attack, even if their finishing has been inconsistent. If Gakpo does end up at the Metropolitano, he would need to adapt to a wide role under Simeone’s system that stresses running, pressing and combinations into the half-spaces—a world away from his late-season image at Liverpool as the forward carrying the blame in chaos.
Liverpool's stance: Slot's loyalty may give way to a summer exit
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are "open" to selling Gakpo this summer. Under Slot, he repeatedly picked Gakpo amid criticism and renewed his deal through June 2030 last year on wages of around £250,000 a week; but with Iraola taking over as manager and Salah also set to leave, the club's need to rebuild on the flanks has become urgent. Sources say Liverpool are prepared to approve Gakpo's departure and will not deliberately block his transfer request — even while needing to spend heavily on a Salah replacement, they are still willing to give Gakpo the green light.
Transfer expert Romano said in March that Liverpool would be "busy" on the wing this summer, with both the Salah and Gakpo situations needing to be sorted and that they "need fresh blood out wide." That aligns with the current narrative of an overhaul on both flanks: a legendary striker bowing out on one side, and a Slot favourite who could head to La Liga on the other.
Table gap and pressure to rebuild the attack
Winning the title last season but slipping to fifth this term has sharply amplified debate over who stays and who goes up front. Site data shows Liverpool drew 1-1 in Premier League matchweek 38 of the 2025 season and lost 2-4 away in matchweek 37, with a late-season slump in points and dressing-room unrest meaning any "transfer request" rumour gets blown out of proportion. For Iraola, his first season in charge means fighting for a Champions League place while having to nail down wing targets quickly with both Salah and Gakpo potentially leaving — a very tight window.
Editor's view: Rumors are credible, but a deal still hinges on the asking price and willingness
Taken together with existing reports, the narratives that Gakpo wants out and Liverpool are open to selling have largely aligned, but a single Dutch media source is still not the same as an official announcement. What will truly determine whether a deal goes through remains an asking price in the €60 million bracket, the player's willingness, and Atlético Madrid's budget flexibility after Griezmann's departure. For supporters, three storylines worth tracking this summer are: whether Gakpo receives formal permission to leave, whether Atlético submit a substantive bid, and when new wide options emerge on Liverpool's flanks under Iraola. If all three move forward at once, Liverpool could be heading into one of the biggest front-line reshuffles in nearly a decade.
The next focal points are the June transfer window: whether Liverpool publicly respond to a transfer request, whether Atlético's offer approaches the psychological threshold of around £52 million, and whether Gakpo still reports for pre-season training in Liverpool kit. A clear signal on any one of those would take matters closer to the substantive stage of a deal than today's "according to reports."
