Manchester City are reportedly keen to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, as cited in a report by Football365.
Manchester City are understood to be planning a move for Gibbs-White as part of a broader effort to refresh their ageing midfield this summer. The England midfielder has been in impressive form for Forest this season, scoring five goals and providing seven assists in a side that has primarily built its success on defensive solidity.
Gibbs-White’s versatility and well-rounded skillset make him an attractive target for a Pep Guardiola side that expects players to be able to do a bit of everything. The 25-year-old’s stats rate highly among attacking midfielders for his defensive work, and he also makes a considerable attacking contribution when compared to out-and-out number 8s.
According to Football365, Manchester City’s interest in Gibbs-White is driven by a desire to strengthen their midfield options. The club’s current midfielders, including Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Kevin De Bruyne, have all racked up over 1,500 Premier League minutes each, primarily in midfield roles, and are all in their 30s.
Kevin De Bruyne’s impending departure has already been announced, despite the Belgian feeling he still has more to offer. Manchester City will be keen to avoid a repeat of the issues that crept up on them this season as several of their more long-serving players ran into a loss of form. The club invested heavily in the January transfer market, promoted from their youth ranks, and shipped Kyle Walker out on loan to AC Milan.
As Football365 reported, citing Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City plan to advance on Gibbs-White deal in the next weeks as he remains one of the priority targets. Romano tweeted: “Manchester City plan to advance on Morgan Gibbs-White deal in the next weeks as he remains one of the priority targets. No issues are expected on personal terms but [there is] work to do with Nottingham Forest as they still hope to keep MGW.”
The report also stated that Nottingham Forest had slapped a £100m price sticker on Gibbs-White, which would be a huge outlay even for a club of Manchester City’s means. As noted by Football365, this could be a potential stumbling block in the transfer negotiations.
In related news, Manchester City’s midfield has been a area of focus for the club in recent months. As noted by Football365, several high-profile players are set to leave the club, including Kevin De Bruyne, who has announced his departure.
The report also mentioned that talkSPORT reported last month that Forest had slapped a £100m price sticker on the 25 year old, which would be a huge outlay even for a club of City’s means.
As the summer transfer window approaches, Manchester City’s interest in Gibbs-White is set to continue. The club will be looking to strengthen their midfield options and Gibbs-White is a key target.
Manchester City’s efforts to sign Gibbs-White will be an interesting story to follow in the coming weeks. The club’s interest in the player is clear, but the £100m price tag could be a stumbling block.
According to sources, Manchester City are not expected to have any issues agreeing personal terms with Gibbs-White, but negotiations with Nottingham Forest are expected to be complex.
The news has been welcomed by Manchester City fans, who are eager to see new talent brought to the Etihad Stadium.
A deal for Gibbs-White would make sense for Manchester City, who are looking to refresh their midfield and bring in new talent.
Sources close to the club have indicated that Gibbs-White is a top target for Manchester City, who are looking to bring in a new midfielder this summer.
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