Arsenal are looking to sign this important Nottingham Forest star ahead of the new season.
The summer transfer window will soon be open for business and Premier League clubs are already pre-planning their initial moves. After an entertaining season, the teams will be eager to squeeze the most out of this window as they prepare for another thriller in England’s top flight.
Arsenal missed out on another title opportunity this season, falling short of the champions for the third year in a row. Mikel Arteta will be eager to finally end the years of chasing and lift the title next season, but they have transfer business to attend to first.
The Gunners are on the market for some big signings and Morgan Gibbs-White is among those on their priority list. The Nottingham Forest superstar has turned a lot of heads thanks to his efforts this season and it looks like it’s gearing up to be a fight for his signature.
Forest aren’t willing to let him go easy though, and it’s likely going to take a significant offer to convince them to part ways.
Arsenal turn attention to Morgan Gibbs-White
Arsenal are looking to improve their engine room by adding a fresh injection of creativity ahead of the new season. Mick Brown, who was previously the chief scout at Manchester United, believes Gibbs-White would be an ideal fit for the Gunners.
“At the moment, they’re very one-dimensional and very passive in their play,” Brown told Football Insider. “They move up the pitch in steady blocks, and then they get near the penalty box and there’s no space for anybody to run in to, which is a problem. Look at the best City and Liverpool teams, they all have the ability to break forward quickly and make those runs from the middle of the park. That’s something Arsenal lack and something they want to add to their squad.
“Morgan Gibbs-White is the perfect answer to that problem because that’s what he does best. He’s got energy, he makes those runs, he looks to drive the team forward. Declan Rice does that best for Arsenal, but then they’re also asking him to do all the other midfield job so it limits what he’s best at. Having Gibbs-White in there alongside him would get the best out of them both. I think it’s a deal that makes sense for him as well, because he’ll want to play in the Champions League next season and they can offer it.”
How could Arsenal prise Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest?
According to talkSPORT, the Tricky Trees have slapped a whopping £100 million on Gibbs-White. As a key part of the team, and with big-spending Premier League teams interested, Forest are well within their rights to demand big for the midfielder.
The simple approach would be to offer the amount Forest are looking for but the Gunners could also throw in a sweetener to tip the scales in their favour. Arsenal are expected to part ways with several players this summer to make way for new signings. The likes of Jorginho and Raheem Sterling are due to become free agents but the Gunners are also looking to sanction some sales.
Recent reports have claimed that Arsenal are looking to sell Jakub Kiwior and Fabio Vieira. Both players could potentially be used in a player-plus-cash deal with Forest, although whichever way you look at it, the Reds are getting the raw end of the deal. Losing Gibbs-White will be a big blow but at least they will be able to pocket a significant profit to reinvest. Forest signed the midfielder for an initial £25 million from Wolves and their high demands now will make them a pretty penny.
If Arsenal were to offer Vieira plus cash, Forest would receive a natural replacement for Gibbs-White, as well as money to spend elsewhere in the team. If they offer Kiwior, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side would get a player they are in need of. Forest are on the market for a new full-back this summer, and while Kiwior is a centre-back by trade, he has been deployed at left-back when needed.
The Reds would certainly be getting a top quality player, as well as a handsome amount of cash for Gibbs-White, but it would still seem to be Arsenal getting the better end of the stick, as MGW will be extremely hard to replace at the City Ground.
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