Forest vows war: Tottenham s Gibbs White pursuit triggers legal threat

A contentious transfer saga is brewing in the Premier League, with Nottingham Forest reportedly contemplating legal action against Tottenham Hotspur over their aggressive pursuit of midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. Sources close to the situation have informed BBC Sport that Forest is particularly scrutinizing whether a specific confidentiality agreement tied to Gibbs-White's hefty £60 million release clause has been breached by Spurs.

The escalating tension comes after BBC Sport reported on Thursday that Gibbs-White was expected to undergo a medical on Friday as Tottenham looked to activate the aforementioned release clause. However, Forest's indignation runs deep. Sources indicate the club is "furious" with Tottenham's conduct, vehemently insisting that they have not granted Spurs permission to speak directly with Gibbs-White. Forest is reportedly prepared to go to "whatever lengths required" to prevent the transfer from materializing, emphasizing the seriousness of their threat of legal action.

Premier League regulations are clear on such matters: clubs are expressly prohibited from engaging in direct talks with players who are under contract with another team unless explicit permission has been granted by the player's current club. Tottenham is understood to be aware of the brewing storm but remains hopeful that a deal can still be concluded for the England international.

Morgan Gibbs-White originally joined Nottingham Forest from Wolves in August 2022 in a deal valued up to £42.5 million, signing a five-year contract. Since then, he has become a pivotal figure for Forest, making 118 appearances over three years, contributing 18 goals and 28 assists. His impactful performances earned him an England debut as a substitute in a Nations League victory over the Republic of Ireland in September under interim manager Lee Carsley. His most recent international appearance came off the bench in a 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal at the City Ground, under the new national team boss, Thomas Tuchel.

Tottenham, meanwhile, has already been active in the transfer market this week, having recently secured the signing of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham in a £55 million deal. The potential acquisition of Gibbs-White would further underscore their ambition to strengthen their squad. Adding to Forest's worries, Gibbs-White's teammate, Anthony Elanga, is also reportedly on the verge of a significant move, with a £55 million transfer to Newcastle United nearing completion. This indicates a challenging summer ahead for Forest as they battle to retain their key players amidst significant external interest. The unfolding legal drama between Forest and Spurs promises to be one of the more compelling storylines of the current transfer window.