Nottingham Forest Locks Down Morgan Gibbs-White with New Contract, Crushing Tottenham's Transfer Dreams
Nottingham Forest secured Morgan Gibbs-White with a fresh contract on Saturday after weathering intense interest from Tottenham Hotspur during the recent summer transfer period.
The new agreement extends Gibbs-White's tenure at the City Ground until the summer of 2028. "From day one at Forest, I've truly felt this is where I belong. The incredible support from supporters, fellow players, and the entire organization has been remarkable. I have complete faith in our project here – and with Mr Marinakis' backing and his tremendous vision, I'm determined to help create something extraordinary. The future holds great promise," Gibbs-White stated in the official announcement.
Forest had been negotiating with the 27-year-old regarding a contract extension, The Athletic confirmed earlier on Saturday. The England squad member delivered outstanding performances for Nuno Espírito Santo's side last campaign, helping secure European competition qualification. Tottenham Hotspur, alongside other Premier League teams, had shown keen interest in acquiring Gibbs-White this month, though Forest alleged the Europa League winners made an "unauthorized approach" for their player.
Forest's concerns reportedly centered on how the north London outfit obtained sensitive details including a £60 million ($81.5 million) buyout clause. Gibbs-White had been set to complete medical examinations, The Athletic indicated, on July 10.
This represents a significant setback considering acquisitions of both Mohammed Kudus and Gibbs-White would have provided substantial reinforcement and assistance for Frank replacing Ange Postecoglou.
Throughout much of the campaign, Forest remained firmly in contention for top-four positioning. Several disappointing results during the final stretch relegated them to UEFA Conference League qualification rounds, yet the previous season marked substantial progress in their development. Retaining Gibbs-White seems particularly crucial after the club lost Anthony Elanga earlier in the transfer window, with the Swedish player moving to Newcastle United.
Gibbs-White initially joined Nottingham Forest in 2022 from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The England representative has netted 18 times across 112 matches while contributing an additional 28 assists. During last season's Premier League campaign, he recorded 17 goal involvements (seven strikes, 10 assists).