Pep Guardiola and Phil Foden's view on £60m Tottenham deal speak volumes

Tottenham Hotspur appear close to finalising a £60 million deal to sign midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest, marking their second major signing of the week after Mohammed Kudus (£55m). However, the transfer is currently paused due to reports that Forest are considering legal action, alleging an improper approach by Spurs. Gibbs-White had been preparing for a medical before the move stalled.

Gibbs-White, 25, has become indispensable for Forest since joining from Wolves in 2022, playing a central role in their impressive league climb last season, which saw them hold a Champions League qualification spot for over half the campaign. His performances attracted high praise, with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola calling him "exceptional" last March, a sentiment echoed by City's Phil Foden. Foden further lauded him as "what a player" on social media after Gibbs-White's man-of-the-match performance, including a goal, for England U21s in the 2023 European Championship semi-final.

This potential transfer signifies Spurs' aggressive summer recruitment, pushing their total outlay beyond £180m for five major signings (Gibbs-White, Kudus, Luka Vuskovic, Kota Takai, plus permanent deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso). This investment reflects a commitment to support new manager Thomas Frank and avoid a repeat of last season's disappointing 17th-place finish, despite winning the Europa League. It also aims to build squad depth for their return to the Champions League next season.

For Nottingham Forest, losing Gibbs-White, following the £55m departure of Anthony Elanga to Newcastle, is a major blow. Both players were crucial to Forest's recent form and attacking output. Elanga contributed 11 Premier League assists (second only to Mohamed Salah and Jacob Murphy) and 6 goals in 2024/25, while Gibbs-White contributed 7 goals and 8 assists. Only Chris Wood was involved in more goals for Forest. Their departures leave significant gaps, especially as both are joining Champions League clubs.

Should the move to Tottenham be completed, Gibbs-White will face intense competition in a crowded midfield featuring Kudus, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, Yves Bissouma, and Pape Matar Sarr, where he will aim to secure a starting role.