Nottingham Forest are considering reporting Tottenham Hotspur to the Premier League about their £60 million move to sign Morgan Gibbs-White, according to The Athletic. Forest are also discussing legal action against Spurs, who they say were not granted permission to speak to the England international, claiming this amounts to an ‘illegal’ approach.
Nottingham Forest Consider Reporting Spurs Over ‘Illegal’ Move for Morgan Gibbs-White
What Do We Know So Far?
Tottenham reportedly triggered the £60 million release clause in Gibbs-White’s contract on July 10, with a medical booked for the following day. However, the move is now on hold as Forest prepare a complaint to the Premier League, but Thomas Frank’s side remains positive that the deal will go ahead.
Read More: Leeds Pushing to Sign Once £50 million-rated Manchester United Target
The Tricky Trees are also suggesting that Spurs have “breached confidentiality” in regards to the midfielder’s release clause, as they bid the exact amount required to trigger the clause, which Forest believed was information they should not have been aware of. According to Sky, the Midlands side have now ceased communication entirely with their Premier League rivals, but it is unclear as to whether they will be able to completely stop the transfer or simply delay it.
The 25-year-old has had a number of potential suitors this summer, with Manchester City showing interest earlier in the window, but Thomas Frank’s side now look likely to land the midfielder despite this “unprecedented” situation.
A Bittersweet Ending For Gibbs-White
Since moving to the City Ground in the summer of 2022 on a deal worth up to £42 million, Gibbs-White has flourished. The former Wolves man quickly became one of Forest’s most important players, with his outstanding form under Nuno Espirito Santo earning him a first senior call-up for England in 2024.
The midfielder has played 106 Premier League matches for the Tricky Trees, scoring 17 goals and recording 26 assists. The 25-year-old was instrumental in the club’s remarkable 2024/25 season, scoring five goals and providing eight assists as Nuno’s side secured a first return to European football in 30 years.
What Will Gibbs-White Bring to Spurs?
Tottenham have wasted little time this summer, already bolstering their attack with Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, who was on loan at Spurs last season, and West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus. The £60 million addition of Gibbs-White would bring the club’s summer spending on forwards to almost £145 million, as Thomas Frank prepares for his first season in charge in North London.
Gibbs-White is a highly creative, technically gifted attacking midfielder who enjoys driving forward with the ball and excels in counter-attacking situations. This makes him a rather different option to Tottenham’s James Maddison, with whom he will likely be in direct competition with.
Whilst Maddison excels in tight pockets of space and likes to dictate the tempo, the Forest man offers more athleticism, pressing, and directness, and is capable of playing anywhere along the forward line. Although it is unclear how Frank will set up his Spurs side, Gibbs-White appears a more natural fit for the counter-attacking style the Danish manager preferred at Brentford, and it could be a match made in heaven for Tottenham fans.