Morgan Gibbs-White (25, Nottingham Forest) directly conveyed his intention to transfer to Tottenham Hotspur to club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
The British 'TBR Football' reported on the 14th (Korean time) that "Gibbs-White returned to the Nottingham preseason training ground today, but his heart is already directed towards North London."
Gibbs-White clearly communicated to owner Marinakis that he wants to go to Tottenham, and Tottenham is still showing strong confidence in securing the transfer.
The current issue is the '60 million pound (approximately 111.3 billion won) buyout clause.' Tottenham began negotiations based on this clause, but Nottingham argues that it was a 'secret clause.'
In particular, owner Marinakis has even hinted at legal action to uncover how Tottenham obtained this information. He showed an agitated reaction, stating, "That clause was not supposed to be disclosed to outsiders," and is currently investigating the matter.
TBR Football pointed out that "the clause actually exists, and the player and Tottenham are both in a position to activate it, leaving the club with limited ways to block it." This implies that there is practically no justification for preventing the activation of the buyout.
Tottenham believes that Gibbs-White is a suitable resource tactically. In particular, since the arrival of manager Thomas Frank, the need for a 'creative No. 10 resource with low injury risk' has increased, and Gibbs-White meets that requirement. While James Maddison missed a total of 24 matches last season due to knee, calf, and ankle injuries, Gibbs-White had a relatively healthy season.
In fact, Maddison also missed the last UEFA Europa League final due to a knee injury, and that absence was a significant blow to the creative consolidation and attack connections. Accordingly, Tottenham has identified Gibbs-White as a backup or replacement option for Maddison.
Meanwhile, Marinakis's complaints are not limited to just the information leak. He expressed disappointment over the lack of interest from top teams, saying, "Why didn't clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich come?" In particular, Manchester City showed interest in Gibbs-White but did not lead to an actual transfer proposal.
Gibbs-White is a creative midfielder who has experience with the England national team. He is a product of the Wolverhampton youth system and has consistently performed in the Premier League since his transfer to Nottingham. He is now looking to take on a new challenge as he aims to participate in the Champions League with Tottenham. All the pieces are in place, and only the owner holds the final 'approval' button.
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