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Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United 'to battle for Morgan Gibbs-White this summer'

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 22 March 2024

Tottenham, West Ham 'to battle for Morgan Gibbs-White'

Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer.

The 24-year-old joined Forest in August 2022 for an initial £25m from Wolverhampton Wanderers after five years at Molineux, and he has since developed into an important first-team player at the City Ground.

Gibbs-White contributed with five goals and eight assists in 37 Premier League matches to help Forest avoid relegation last season, and he was subsequently named the club's Player of the Season.

The versatile midfielder has since chipped in with four goals and five assists in 33 appearances across all competitions so far this term.

Gibbs-White still has over three years remaining on his contract at the City Ground, but a potential big-money move away from Forest has been mooted ahead of the summer transfer window amid the club's financial predicament.

According to Give Me Sport, Forest could be forced to sell Gibbs-White this summer to balance their books, with both Tottenham and West Ham said to be keeping tabs on the midfielder's situation.

Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga celebrates scoring their first goal with Morgan Gibbs-White on November 25, 2023 © Reuters

Forest were hit with a four-point deduction by the Premier League earlier this week for breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules in January, and have subsequently slipped into the relegation zone with nine games left to play.

Gibbs-White is said to have aspirations of playing at the highest level and a move to either Spurs or West Ham – who are both competing for European qualification this term – could be an attractive proposition if Forest were to be demoted to the Championship next season.

A separate report claims that Forest have slapped a £50m asking price on Gibbs-White, who is regarded as one of the club's most valuable assets.

Gibbs-White impressed alongside Brennan Johnson at Forest last season, but their attacking partnership lasted for just one season as the latter decided to join Tottenham last summer for a reported £47.5m.

Spurs could look to raid Forest again and reunite Johnson with Gibbs-White ahead of the 2024-25 season, with the England Under-21 international viewed as someone who could provide competition for playmaker James Maddison.

West Ham, meanwhile, may step up their interest in Gibbs-White if they decide to part ways with Lucas Paqueta, who has been linked with a summer switch to Manchester City.