Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White is going to be the subject of vast interest in the summer transfer window, with Manchester City preparing to swoop.
The Reds’ vice-captain is in his third year with Forest, and he’s continued to grow with each passing year, becoming a mainstay in the team, playing either as a number 10 or a conventional midfielder.
Gibbs-White is integral under Nuno Espirito Santo and the Forest head coach won’t want to lose his star player when the window reopens during the summer.
Forest are facing a fight to get into the Champions League next season and at this stage, qualifying for the elite club competition in Europe might not be enough to keep hold of Gibbs-White.
City will provide Gibbs-White with an attractive package, no doubt, but playing regularly might not come quite so easily for the Forest number 10 at the Etihad Stadium.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty ImagesAshley Cole delivers verdict on Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White
It’s going to be an anxious summer for Forest regarding Gibbs-White and it would be great to think that the Reds could tempt him to stay for one more year.
Getting in the Champions League wouldn’t guarantee that Forest keep Gibbs-White but it would certainly go a long way towards helping convince the attacker.
Ashley Cole has worked with Gibbs-White previously with the England setup and he’s admitted on That Peter Crouch Podcast that he’s a huge fan of the Forest player.
He said: “If you look at the potential of the player, again, he can do everything, he can run forwards, he can run backwards, and we always speak about that motivation to run backwards. He can unlock defences, he can score goals and assists, so there’s not a lot he can’t do.
“I’m not surprised a top team like Manchester City are chasing him and, similarly, Morgan Rogers as well, to be honest.”
Morgan Gibbs-White stats 2024/25
It’s been another season to remember for Gibbs-White and his form has propelled Forest into European contention, just 12 months after securing Premier League survival on the final day of 2023/24.
The number 10 is a quality player, and if he were to leave Forest, it would be of serious detriment to the team, and he’d also cost a substantial amount to replace.
Forest will undergo wholesale changes in terms of their squad in the summer and the hope will be that the quality of signings will prompt Gibbs-White to spend another year on Trentside.
When a club like City comes calling, however, it can prove tricky to turn down and that will be the conundrum that could be facing Gibbs-White this summer.