Nottingham Forest are now consulting their lawyers as they believe Tottenham Hotspur holding talks with Morgan Gibbs-White over a summer move was an illegal approach, according to Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett.
The England international had been expected to hold a medical to join the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium club today after his release clause was reportedly triggered.
However, Forest insist they never gave Spurs permission to hold talks with Gibbs-White, and the move is now delayed as they consider taking legal action.
Forest have all but lost Sweden international attacker Anthony Elanga, with the former Manchester United star set to join Newcastle United, and they are not ready to lose Gibbs-White.
The Englishman has a £60 million release clause which Tottenham are more than ready to trigger as they have already booked his medical for today, but they could end up paying much more or getting sanctioned if an amicable solution cannot be found with the City Ground club.
Forest will be playing in Europe next season after finishing seventh in the Premier League last term, and owner Evangelos Marinakis and manager Nuno Espirito Santo are unwilling to lose key players when they should be bolstering their squad for 2025-26.
Spurs finished 17th last season but are playing in the Champions League next term after winning the Europa League, and featuring in the elite European competition would have been very appealing to Gibbs-White.
He could find himself in the middle of a legal battle between two clubs and will be hoping both teams settle out of court.
More details are expected to emerge in the coming hours from all the three parties involved as they all look to maintain their innocence, and a transfer saga could be on the cards as Marinakis will be eager to have the last laugh on this matter.