The Netherlands international had appeared on his way out of Anfield in the closing days of the window, with Manchester City and Liverpool having settled on financial terms before the deal unexpectedly broke down, according to Eindhovens Dagblad.
Tottenham Hotspur, long-standing admirers of the 27-year-old, have also been ruled out as sources now say no alternative exit will materialise before the window shuts.
Liverpool had been willing to sell Gakpo only if they could bring in a replacement winger, and City and Spurs were both prepared to meet a package in the region of £80million, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein. Gakpo reportedly chose City over a return to interest from Tottenham, but the move unravelled when Liverpool declined to sanction his departure.
The collapse leaves Gakpo, who joined from PSV Eindhoven in 2022, staying put despite having believed a switch to the Etihad Stadium was close. He held talks with Liverpool's ownership on Monday, partly to smooth over any tension following the U-turn, Eindhovens Dagblad reports, and has since returned to full training at the AXA Training Centre.
Attention now turns to Friday's away trip to Ipswich Town. Gakpo has fresh competition for his starting spot after Liverpool completed the arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the window, with the France forward having already deputised on the right flank in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Newcastle United — a less familiar role for a player who has operated primarily off the left since his move to Merseyside.
Liverpool's refusal to let a key attacking option leave for a direct Premier League rival so late in the window says as much about their limited success replacing him as it does their regard for his form.
Talks over Brighton's Yankuba Minteh and Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr both stalled over valuation in the window's final days, leaving the club short of the cover they wanted before entertaining a Gakpo sale.
With no further senior winger arriving before the deadline, Gakpo now looks set to fight for his place through the season rather than start it elsewhere. Head coach Andoni Iraola will be relieved to retain a forward who has scored more than 50 goals for the club since 2022.