Cody Gakpo: The Tottenham-linked star who models game around Arsenal icon
Cody Gakpo may have some Tottenham Hotspur fans to win over if he signs, having previously confessed to idolising Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
The 27-year-old has been linked with a move to Tottenham this summer in recent days, in what would be a headline Premier League transfer.
Gakpo's current focus will be on his World Cup campaign, however, as he hopes to play a big part in a memorable tournament with the Netherlands.
After signing for Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 in a deal worth between £35-45million, he's scored 50 goals in 180 appearances for the Reds.
However, his goal tally of 18 from the 2024-25 season was halved last term, with the flying Dutchman only able to bag nine in 52 appearances across all competitions in 2025-26.
And, if that wasn't enough reason for some Tottenham supporters to be sceptical over a summer swoop for him, then their doubts may only increase upon learning of his admiration for Henry.
What did Cody Gakpo say about Thierry Henry?
There's no denying, regardless of whether you're a red or white in North London, that Henry is one of the finest players to ever play in the Premier League.
With 175 goals, the Frenchman currently sits eighth in the all-time scoring Premier League scoring charts, with his flair, character and ability seeing him often cited as a leading inspiration for many modern-day forwards.
For the majority of the time, that's not a problem whatsoever, but if you're a Tottenham player, that may not go down well with some die-hard Lilywhites supporters.
Speaking in an interview via The Sunday Times back in October 2022 when he was still a PSV player, Gakpo spoke on just how much of an influence the Arsenal legend has had on his game.
“I’m a tall winger, but when you look for tall wingers there aren’t so many, so a few years ago I started watching Henry,” Gakpo said.
"He was more of a striker, but he was also tall and he liked to play off the side like me, so I watched clips of him and tried to learn something from him.
"The way he comes in from the left and shoots with his right. I don’t know if it’s working, but I tried to copy him a bit.”
Why Gakpo is a can't-miss opportunity for Spurs
There's no stain remover more effective for a forward looking to win favour with his team's supporters than by scoring and creating goals.
Indeed, if Gakpo was to join Tottenham this summer and delivered the goods in 2026-27, there may even be cause for Spurs fans to raise a toast to Henry's brilliance.
Gakpo has a whopping 70 goal contributions in 180 games for Liverpool since moving to Anfield, and as per FotMob, ranked in the top 1.5 per cent of all Premier League left wingers for shots (87) last season.
He could be the missing piece to really take Tottenham's attack to the next level under Roberto De Zerbi, and so if Liverpool are willing to sell, Spurs can't afford to miss this opportunity.