Tottenham have been handed a major transfer blow as their deal to sign Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White is ‘currently off’ over a legal matter, according to reports.
The north London club have completed five deals so far this summer with Luka Vuskovic joining from Hajduk Split, Kota Takai arriving from Kawasaki Front and Mohammed Kudus sealing a big-money deal from West Ham, while Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel have completed permanent moves after successful loan spells.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is currently the only player Tottenham have sold this summer with the Denmark international moving to Marseille, while Fraser Forster and Sergio Reguilon left on free transfers.
Tottenham are in a good position to hang onto some of its best players because of Champions League qualification, despite their horrific 17th-placed finish last season.
And they are also looking to continue to add some quality to improve Thomas Frank’s squad after the head coach joined from Brentford to succeed Ange Postecoglou.
A transfer for Gibbs-White was meant to be the next one through the door for Frank with Daily Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath revealing on Thursday that the Nottingham Forest star was due for a medical on Friday and complete a move to Tottenham.
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McGrath wrote on X: ‘Excl – Morgan Gibbs-White will have a Tottenham Hotspur medical tomorrow. Spurs will trigger MGW £60m release clause at #NFFC.’
But Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett dropped a bombshell on Friday afternoon with news that Gibbs-White’s deal to Spurs is ‘currently off’.
The journalist insists that Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest are now ‘consulting their lawyers over what they believe is an illegal approach’.
Dorsett wrote on X: ‘EXCL:I’m told #nffc consider deal to take Gibbs-White to #thfc is currently OFF – Forest consulting their lawyers over what they believe is an illegal approach. They never gave permission for talks and have cut all comms with Spurs. Unlikely they can block it, but def delayed.’
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That could be good news for Manchester City, if still interested, with former Tottenham, England and Newcastle winger Chris Waddle insisting that Gibbs-White would “make a difference” at the Etihad Stadium.
Waddle told online-casinos.com last month: “I think they’ll be looking everywhere. I think Man City are like that. They’ll be looking at all possibilities into what to do with the role that Kevin De Bruyne had. You’re probably looking at Morgan Gibbs-White, and probably at Eberechi Eze. They could definitely make a difference.
“But it won’t just be Gibbs-White. There’s three or four players out there right now, just in the Premier League, who they will run the rule over, but they will also have scouts out worldwide. They need someone who can play with the creativity of a No. 10, and there are plenty of those around.
“I don’t think there will be a lack of options, I think part of the decision will come down to who offers the best value.”