Nottingham Forest have declared that their prized midfielder, Morgan Gibbs‑White, is staying put, despite Tottenham Hotspur’s keen interest in triggering his reported £60 million release clause. Forest have paused all communication with Spurs and lodged a formal complaint with the Premier League, accusing the North London club of engaging the player without permission and potentially breaching confidentiality over the clause’s exact terms
Gibbs‑White was due to undergo a medical in London last Friday after Spurs activated the clause in his Forest contract. However, he returned instead to Nottingham for pre‑season training alongside his Forest teammates
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The 25‑year‑old, capped four times by England, had a standout 2024/25 season, scoring 7 goals and assisting 10, as Forest secured a historic European place for the first time in nearly three decades
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and club officials are pursuing legal action, claiming Tottenham’s approach violated Premier League Rule T.1, which prohibits contacting contracted players without written consent from their club
They also argue that awarding the precise purchase price, matching the release clause, suggests Spurs disposed of confidential contract information
Tottenham, under manager Thomas Frank, remain hopeful of completing the deal, particularly before their pre‑season tour begins on July 28, but the outcome now hinges on the Premier League’s response to Forest’s complaint
With rumours that Spurs might turn their attention to other targets like Bryan Mbeumo or Yoane Wissa, the suspense is building
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest, having already sold Anthony Elanga to Newcastle for £55 million, are determined not to lose another key star without following all regulations
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