Manchester City has decided not to pursue a transfer for Morgan Gibbs-White, despite the midfielder’s availability for a reduced fee of £60 million from Nottingham Forest. Earlier in the transfer window, City had expressed interest in Gibbs-White, especially after his impressive performances contributed to Forest’s successful push for European football and his subsequent England call-up.
However, after securing two new midfielders—Rayan Cherki from Lyon for £31 million and Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for £46.3 million—City feels adequately stocked in that position and is now concentrated on player exits. As it stands, key players like Kalvin Phillips, Jack Grealish, and James McAtee are likely to depart, while there are concerns about potential moves involving Nico Gonzalez or Ilkay Gundogan.
Initially, Forest had set an asking price of £100 million for Gibbs-White at the end of last season, which was significantly reduced following Tottenham’s activation of a £60 million release clause in his contract. Forest responded strongly to Tottenham’s knowledge of this clause, threatening to report the club for an alleged illegal approach. Following this, the club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, hinted he would prefer to sell Gibbs-White to another team, potentially hoping for renewed interest from Manchester City.
Despite these developments, City insists that they will not be re-entering the race for Gibbs-White as they focus on reducing squad size ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.
With Manchester City’s current focus on optimizing their squad and preparing for the new season, the decision to step back from pursuing Gibbs-White suggests a strategic long-term vision that emphasizes both immediate needs and overall squad dynamics. This approach may ensure the team remains competitive while also managing their roster effectively.