Manchester City have intensified their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White, with Nottingham Forest now internally accepting that their talismanic midfielder is likely to depart this summer — and a price tag has already been set.
Manchester City set to move as Nottingham Forest brace for exit
As per MailSport’s Tom Collomosse, Nottingham Forest will demand around £70 million for Morgan Gibbs-White. The 25-year-old is being tracked by several Premier League clubs, but City are considered frontrunners, with Etihad officials identifying him as one of the key targets in their post–De Bruyne rebuild.
The report adds that Wolves will be owed 10% of any profit, stemming from a sell-on clause in the 2022 transfer that brought Gibbs-White to Forest.
Meanwhile, inside the Forest dressing room, players now reportedly “fully expect” Gibbs-White to leave the City Ground in the coming weeks.
Guardiola’s Wembley chat didn’t go unnoticed
City’s interest has not been quiet. Following the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, Pep Guardiola was spotted in conversation with Gibbs-White on the pitch — a moment that has drawn attention inside Forest’s camp.
Collomosse wrote:
“Nuno Espirito Santo has definitely been frustrated at the constant noise around this, and alluded to it at a recent press conference.
I’m not sure Pep Guardiola’s very public chat with Gibbs-White on the Wembley pitch after the FA Cup semi-final went down too well at Forest, either.
I think Gibbs-White’s head has certainly been turned to an extent – but you can’t argue with his last couple of performances, even though he went eight games without a goal or an assist before his strike against Leicester earlier this month.”
Despite the speculation, Gibbs-White has remained composed on the pitch, producing a goal against Leicester to end his brief scoring drought and reinforcing his value heading into the summer window.
Tactical replacement for De Bruyne?
Man City’s midfield overhaul is already underway following Kevin De Bruyne’s confirmed exit after 10 glittering seasons. With no agreement reached on a renewal, the Belgian is expected to head abroad — with Napoli and Chicago Fire among the interested parties.
After withdrawing from the race to sign Florian Wirtz due to cost concerns, City are now pivoting toward options with proven Premier League pedigree. At £70 million, Gibbs-White offers that, along with age-profile upside and adaptability in Guardiola’s fluid 3-2-5 system.
Liverpool and Man United monitoring the situation
Manchester City may face competition for Gibbs-White’s signature. Liverpool and Manchester United have both been linked as alternative landing spots, but neither club has moved as aggressively — and City’s need is arguably most immediate.
Meanwhile, City are also in talks with AC Milan over Tijjani Reijnders, who is viewed as another midfield option should they wish to bring in two players.
Final Thought
Morgan Gibbs-White looks increasingly likely to leave the City Ground — and Manchester City appear well positioned to act. At £70 million, the price is clear. With De Bruyne gone, the need is urgent. And with Guardiola already making contact, the path forward is there for Man City to close the deal.
