​Manchester City set to make £85m move for Premier League attackerCody Gakpo to Manchester City: £85m Transfer Race Takes ShapeManchester City appear to be closing in on Cody Gakpo, with the Liverpool winger now reportedly leaning towards a move to Enzo Maresca’s side in a deal valued at around £85m. Credit to The Times for the original report, which paints a clear picture of a transfer battle that has shifted decisively away from Tottenham.The headline detail matters. Spurs were in the mix, but they have seemingly missed out after Gakpo decided that City is the destination he wants. That is the sort of development that tells you plenty about how elite transfers still work. Players talk about projects, opportunities and ambition, and when Manchester City enter the room, most clubs quickly find themselves scrambling for the leftovers.There is another layer here too. Liverpool allowing a player of Gakpo’s profile to move to a direct domestic rival would be significant. At £85m, the fee is hefty, but City are not paying for a gamble. They would be buying a forward in his prime years, one with flexibility across the front line and the kind of tactical discipline top coaches demand.Photo IMAGOManchester City Plan for Cody GakpoFrom City’s point of view, the attraction is obvious. Gakpo offers width, goals, pressing intensity and the ability to play in multiple attacking roles. Maresca has inherited a squad packed with technical quality, and this sort of addition would suggest he wants attackers who can rotate positions without the structure falling apart.If the deal gets over the line, it will also say something about City’s recruitment model. They do not usually spend this level of money without a very clear tactical purpose. Gakpo would not be arriving as decoration. He would be expected to contribute immediately, and in a side chasing major honours, that pressure comes on day one.Tottenham Blow Deepens After Gakpo DecisionFor Tottenham, this reads like a damaging setback. Missing a top target is one thing, missing him because he actively prefers a rival is another. Roberto De Zerbi is trying to shape his squad, and this report suggests north London could be facing more turbulence, with Richarlison also wanting to move on.That combination leaves Spurs with recruitment questions and a dressing room issue to manage. You can survive losing one target. You struggle when the market starts telling you exactly where you sit in the pecking order.Liverpool Transfer Questions GrowLiverpool’s stance will be worth watching closely. Selling to City would always invite scrutiny, especially given the competitive implications. Yet £85m is serious money, and difficult decisions get made when that kind of valuation lands on the table.For now, the strongest takeaway is simple. City have identified a forward they want, the player appears convinced, and Tottenham are left looking on. In modern football, that usually means only one thing, the deal is moving