Morgan Gibbs-Whites Chaotic Transfer Explained

It was a deal that should have been simple—a brilliant player, admired by a top-six club.

You hear this story all the time.

Wayne Rooney to Manchester United, Virgil Van Dijk to Liverpool, Joe Cole to Chelsea.

But this one did not follow the script.

Instead of a smooth progression from interest to bid to unveiling, the transfer has descended into one of the most fractious sagas of the summer—including fan outrage, secret release clauses, allegation of tapping up, and, of course, Evangelos Marinakis is absolutely furious.

Welcome to the Morgan Gibbs-White deal. A move that seemed done, then undone, and may still yet happen.

The Trigger

On the night of July 10, news broke that Tottenham Hotspur had triggered a £60 million release clause in Gibbs-White’s Forest contract.

🚨 Morgan Gibbs-White scheduled to undergo medical on Friday ahead of proposed transfer from Nottingham Forest to Tottenham Hotspur. 25yo England international has £60m release clause in #NFFC contract, enabling #THFC move @TheAthleticFC after @mcgrathmike https://t.co/hHl4WQXlB6

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 10, 2025

The clause was believed to be heavily guarded. A last-minute inclusion was added to the contract after the club fought off interest last year.

Spurs, however, found it and activated the release clause.

And that is when Forest went nuclear.

Sources close to the club believe that Spurs should never have known about the release clause inserted into Gibbs-White's contract. Spurs matched the £60 million clause exactly, fuelling suspicion that they had inside knowledge.

In addition to this, Forest believes that the North London club made contact with Gibbs-White and his camp before contacting the club itself. Under Premier League rules, no team is allowed to speak to a player under contract without permission from the player's club.

Last night, the deal was put on hold, the medical was cancelled, and Forest started contacting lawyers.

Forest Fury

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is reportedly furious. A man who has made no effort in hiding his emotions over the years, Marinakis has once again gone on the offensive.

Forest are now preparing a formal complaint to the Premier League, focusing on two claims: a breach of confidentiality, and an illegal approach. Gibbs-White is a star at Forest, and they are not willing to let him go without a fight.

Forest believes the deal is completely off, and Spurs believe they can still make it happen.

Been Here Before?

Nottingham Forest’s legal ire isn’t without precedent. In the summer of 2023, Crystal Palace came close to reporting Chelsea for allegedly contacting Michael Olise without their permission.

However, in this situation, no report was submitted due to Olise signing a new contract with Palace, rejecting Chelsea in the process.

Forest are not in the dark about submitting complaints to the Premier League and the FA. They have previously lodged concerns over match scheduling, refereeing standards, and—somewhat infamously—VAR decisions.

But this transfer feels different. Nottingham Forest are not taking this lightly whatsoever.

What Happens Now?

From a regulatory standpoint, the Premier League could open an investigation, but these things move slowly—just look at Manchester City and their 115 charges. If Tottenham Hotspur are found guilty of an illegal approach, punishments such as fines, transfer embargos or even an order to pay Nottingham Forest financial compensation.

But history tells us that punishments tend to come after the fact. Deals go through, players move, and the consequences—if they come at all—are often retrospective and symbolic.

In the case of Christian Ziege in the year 2000, Liverpool were fined just £20,000 for illegally approaching the German international. Hardly even a slap on the wrist.

We currently sit in a limbo—the deal isn't dead, but it’s far from clean. It remains likely that the transfer could still go through, particularly with Morgan Gibbs-White eager to join Tottenham and personal terms already agreed. But Nottingham Forest will do everything in their power to ensure that it either does not happen, or Spurs pay far steeper price.