Tottenham Waits for 2027 Opening to Reignite Gibbs-White Pursuit

LONDON — Tottenham Hotspur is taking a highly calculated, long-term approach to Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, with the North London club targeting a potential move in 2027. Industry reports indicate that Tottenham wants to avoid another high-stakes dispute with Forest’s leadership.

The midfielder’s contract situation could become decisive by January, when Gibbs-White will enter the final 18 months of his current deal. Nottingham Forest must either secure another extension or risk diminished bargaining power as the player’s contract moves closer to expiration. Reports from TEAMtalk indicate that Forest is already preparing an improved offer to secure Gibbs-White’s long-term future.

Tottenham’s interest follows the contentious transfer attempt of 2025, when the club tried to trigger a release clause in Gibbs-White’s contract. Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis threatened legal action against Tottenham, and the negotiations eventually collapsed. Gibbs-White then signed a three-year contract extension with Forest to stabilize his valuation and commit his immediate future to the City Ground.

His previous renewal had already made Gibbs-White the highest-paid player in Nottingham Forest’s history. Despite the earlier institutional disagreement, Tottenham’s recruitment department has kept the 24-year-old midfielder at the top of its long-term target list and is reportedly prepared to wait rather than enter a bidding war during the winter transfer window.

Tottenham’s pursuit fits the squad-building objectives of manager Ange Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy. The club spent more than £300 million during the summer transfer window to reinforce the roster, after previous major acquisitions such as the £47.5 million signing of former Forest winger Brennan Johnson in 2023. Tottenham continues to seek an authoritative presence in advanced central midfield.

Gibbs-White has demonstrated an ability to connect defensive and offensive phases, dictate tempo, and create chances in tight spaces. Under manager Oliver Glasner during the current campaign, he has registered one goal and two assists in his first four Premier League matches.

Forest remains highly resistant to selling its star midfielder, particularly after midfielder Elliot Anderson’s departure to Manchester City. Losing another key component of the midfield unit has made retaining Gibbs-White a sporting priority as Nottingham Forest looks to establish stability in the top flight.

Negotiations between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest have historically involved complex financial and personal dynamics, shaped in part by Marinakis’s hands-on ownership style and Levy’s famously rigorous negotiating posture. Tottenham is shifting to a patient, long-term approach, allowing the contract clock to run down before presenting a formal offer.