Pundit Gabby Agbonlahor is convinced Morgan Gibbs-White will leave Nottingham Forest next summer.
The Reds ace has been the subject of much transfer talk this time around and came close to joining Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month. The north London club thought they had snapped him up when they triggered a £60 million release clause in Gibbs-White’s contract.
Forest were angered by what they considered to be an illegal approach for their star man and the prospect of a move collapsed. Owner Evangelos Marinakis then managed to pull off one of the biggest surprises of the summer by overseeing a new deal for the 25-year-old.
Last Saturday, Gibbs-White penned a three-year contract to keep him at the City Ground until 2028. However, Agbonlahor is of the opinion he will depart the club before then.
“I’m not being funny, if you want to stay at a football club you don’t sign three-year contracts nowadays when you’re 25 years of age - you sign a five-year one or more,” the former forward said on talkSPORT. “The fact it’s a three-year contract, that says to me this time next year he will probably be gone.”
Asked if he believes Gibbs-White wants to stay at Forest, Agbonlahor added: “No. I think he’ll go to the biggest club that wants him. I think he’d say: ‘I’m devoed (devastated) that I didn’t go to Spurs.’ Of course he would.
“He obviously wanted to go to Spurs. Hasn’t happened. If they come back in 12 months’ time, he’ll be gone.”
After signing his new contract, Gibbs-White said: "I’ve felt at home at Forest from the moment I arrived. The support from the fans, my teammates, and everyone around the club has been unbelievable. I believe in what we're building here – and with the backing of Mr Marinakis and the enormous ambition he has, I want to be part of making something special. I’m excited for what’s to come."
Marinakis said: "Morgan is a special player – not just in terms of talent, but character and mentality. He represents everything we want this football club to be: he is a winner, talented, ambitious, fearless, and proud.
“There was significant interest from various clubs, but we were determined to build our future with Morgan at the heart of it. I promised our fans we would not only compete, but grow stronger and stronger every season. Today is another big step in that journey."