Manchester City have stepped up their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White, who is keen on a move to the Etihad Stadium, TEAMtalk understands, as Kyle Walker shares his opinion on the Nottingham Forest midfielder.
Gibbs-White has been at Forest since 2022 when he joined from Wolves for £42.5million. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder has developed and grown as a footballer at the City Ground and has also earned two caps for England.
The midfielder has scored seven goals and given 10 assists in 33 Premier League matches for Nottingham Forest this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side lying just a point outside the Champions League places with one more round of matches to play.
However, there is a growing possibility that Sunday’s crucial final day showdown against Chelsea at the City Ground could prove Gibbs-White’s final outing for the Tricky Trees.
That’s after sources told TEAMtalk that Man City are intensifying their efforts to sign Gibbs-White, who has showcased his flair, vision, and ability to unlock defences with his admirable performances this season.
The Cityzens are ready to push forward with a deal to bring the dynamic midfielder to the Etihad Stadium. Initially, sources had said that Man City’s interest in the 25-year-old was independent of their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.
However, having cooled their chase for the Germany international – who it is understood is prioritising a move to Bayern Munich anyway – Pep Guardiola’s side are now turning up their pursuit for Gibbs-White, who they now see as a key addition to their squad. The Englishman’s versatility to play as a No. 10, wide midfielder, or even a false nine aligns perfectly with Guardiola’s tactical demands.
Sources have told TEAMtalk that Man City view Gibbs-White as a long-term successor to outgoing stars like Kevin De Bruyne and the perfect profile to come into Guardiola’s system.
Man City’s decision to pivot from Wirtz stems from his £100million-plus price tag and Bayern Munich’s huge offer.
As a result, the Cityzens have now accelerated their focus on Gibbs-White. Forest value their talisman at around £60-70 million, a figure that Man City can comfortably meet.
Negotiations are expected to ramp up in the summer transfer window, and Gibbs-White is keen on the move. Guardiola is said to be a huge admirer of midfielder’s work rate and technical quality, qualities that have shone under Nuno at Forest.
The 25-year-old himself is open to making a step up, enticed by the prospect of competing for trophies and learning under one of football’s greatest ever managers.
However, prising him away from the City Ground will not be straightforward, as Forest are keen to extend his contract, which currently runs until 2027.
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What Kyle Walker thinks of Morgan Gibbs-White
Gibbs-White’s impressive performances for Forest this season have caught the eye of Walker.
Walker is on loan at AC Milan from Man City until the end of the season, having joined the Italian club in the January transfer window.
The 34-year-old English right-back, who is under contract at the Cityzens until the summer of 2026, has been hugely impressed with how Gibbs-White has developed in his career.
Walker told his Kyle Walker Podcast co-host Michael Brown when asked whether Gibbs-White could “go all the way”: “Yeah, he’s got the ability, he’s got the ability.
“For a player that I watched at Sheffield United to, kind of, be cast aside from Wolves, to then go to Sheffield United, to then go to Forest and then do what he’s done, break into the England team.
“You know, he’s got all the ability, but like Elanga, (Callum) Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood… who would ever thought that he’d be notching the goals that he’s notched in this season? So, I think a lot of them…”
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