Why Tottenham target Morgan Gibbs-White has not travelled with Nottingham Forest on pre-season tour

Explained: Why Tottenham target Morgan Gibbs-White has not travelled with Nottingham Forest on pre-season tour

Morgan Gibbs-White has not travelled with Nottingham Forest for their pre-season tour of Portugal, as confirmed by multiple sources including journalist John Percy. The reason for his absence is a "private and personal matter" that is reportedly unrelated to football. It has since been revealed that Gibbs-White’s partner, Britney De Villiers, is currently dealing with a high-risk pregnancy.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, De Villiers opened up about her experience, saying, “To all the mamas who are dealing with or have dealt with a high-risk pregnancy, my heart really goes out to you… I just don’t really remember a time I wasn’t overwhelmed with stress.”

Despite being left out of the travelling squad, Gibbs-White is still expected to join up with the team later in the week. He had already featured in Forest's first pre-season friendly against Monaco and was warmly received by the fans.

His team-mate Ola Aina also commented on his professionalism during this period of uncertainty. Aina told Sky Sports, “Morgan is a professional… he was here today, playing and training with us, staying fit as normal… he’s keeping it professional.”

Forest have two more friendlies scheduled in Portugal, including a game against Fulham on Saturday. Fans are hopeful Gibbs-White will be available to rejoin the squad before they return to the UK.

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Morgan Gibbs-White’s future at Nottingham Forest has come under intense speculation this summer. Tottenham Hotspur have made a strong move to sign the England international by triggering his £60 million release clause. However, Nottingham Forest have not accepted the offer and are accusing Spurs of making what they believe is an “illegal approach” to the player.

Forest were reportedly considering filing an official complaint with the Premier League, although no formal action has been taken yet. The club is standing firm on its position, suggesting that even though the release clause has been triggered, the method used by Spurs to reach the player may have violated league rules.

This situation has cast uncertainty over Gibbs-White’s next move. Despite the growing interest from Spurs and the activated clause, he remains a Forest player for now and is still participating in pre-season activities when available.

Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who previously worked with Gibbs-White at Wolves, is believed to be keen on keeping the player. Gibbs-White has become a key figure at the club and his performances have drawn praise.

Tottenham, on the other hand, are still pushing to add more creativity to their midfield, and see Gibbs-White as a valuable addition. However, unless the dispute around the approach is resolved or Forest soften their stance, the move remains stalled.

As Forest prepare for their next friendly in Portugal and eventually return to the UK, all eyes will be on whether Gibbs-White travels and how the club handles the ongoing interest from Spurs.