SPURS are on the brink of landing England midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White after triggering his SECRET £60m release clause.
New Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is understood to have sold his vision to Gibbs-White, 25, in the past few days.
And the stunning swoop for the Three Lions star has left Nottingham Forest powerless to resist the move for one of their star assets.
It is another statement of intent by Tottenham and Frank, following on from the £55m move for West Ham’s Ghanaian powerhouse Mohammed Kudus and the bid for Brentford goal poacher Yoanne Wisse.
The new Spurs chief sees Gibbs-White, who had two years left on his City Ground contract, as a key part of his new-look side.
Gibbs-White, who scored seven Prem goals and added eight assists for Forest last term, is understood to believe that Champions League football with Tottenham will help secure his place in England’s squad for next summer’s World Cup.
The four-cap midfielder needs to convince Thomas Tuchel that he deserves a place among England’s star-studded midfield options.
That will be easier if he can shine against the international elite, with a potential Spurs debut against European champions PSG in next month’s Uefa Super Cup Final in Udine.
Gibbs-White has been a huge hit at Forest since his £20m arrival from Wolves in 2022, having missed just eight top-flight matches over the club’s three-season stay in the Prem.
He was a huge factor in their terrific campaign last season, when they only missed out on qualifying for the Champions League on the final weekend.
But Spurs’ Europa League triumph under axed boss Ange Postecoglou means N17 will offer Gibbs-White the opportunity to strut his stuff on the biggest club stage for the first time.
Forest fans will fear the worst with wideman Anthony Elanga heading for Newcastle in a £55m move.
While Forest did not want to lose Gibbs-White, Spurs have taken advantage of the release clause with Frank’s promises bearing fruit.
It is another shot in the arm for Tottenham fans who had been frustrated by the initial lack of transfer business after last term saw Euro glory in tandem with their worst domestic season since they were relegated in 1976.
But Frank has reinvigorated the supporter base and now the strong transfer moves have added to a growing sense of excitement among the Spurs faithful.
Forest are seemingly set to use the money they receive for Gibbs-White to finance a move for Wissa, with a bid, according to The Athletic, under the £25m they tabled for the Congolese striker in January being submitted.
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