Nottingham Forest ace Morgan Gibbs-White has several admirers ahead of the summer transfer window opening
Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White(Image: PA)
Nottingham Forest’s intention to keep hold of Morgan Gibbs-White this summer could be tested by Premier League rivals Aston Villa.
Head coach Vitor Pereira wants to keep the core of his squad together for the 2026/27 season. The Portuguese has made clear the Reds are keen to hang on to their star men, including Gibbs-White.
The playmaker came close to joining Tottenham Hotspur 12 months ago, only to end up penning a new deal Trentside. However, he still has a string of admirers ahead of the transfer window opening on June 15.
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Spurs are said to remain keen on Forest’s No.10, while Chelsea and Manchester United have also been credited with an interest. As have Villa, who were first linked with Gibbs-White earlier this year.
According to the Daily Mail, the 26-year-old is “expected” to stay at the City Ground but a transfer domino effect could alter the picture. The report suggests the situation with Gibbs-White “could develop” if the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea push for Morgan Rogers, indicating Villa could turn to the Reds star as a possible replacement.
Forest are well aware of Gibbs-White’s importance to their cause, though. He was instrumental in helping to secure Premier League survival under Pereira and was sorely missed in the second leg of the Europa League semi-final against Villa.
A facial injury kept Gibbs-White out of that tie at Villa Park as the Reds’ European run came to an end. For Forest to get back to competing on the continental stage, there is no overstating the importance of this summer.
Much is riding on the club getting their transfer business right to ensure Pereira has the necessary resources to oversee a climb up the table. The Reds boss would love to have Gibbs-White and in-demand midfielder Elliot Anderson available to play their part when the new term kicks off.
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“For me, they are top players and they deserve the top of the world,” Pereira has said of the duo. “But I believe, if as a club we want to compete for different goals, we need to keep the best players.
“If not, if you change every season, it is difficult to be consistent and difficult to build something stronger. We cannot control the market, of course, but I think we are aligned; what I think and what the club thinks is to try to keep most of them and to try to control the market.
“I feel proud of my players. When I hear that a lot of clubs speak about Morgan and Elliot, it means we did good work as a team and individually. We did good work together.”
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