Morgan Gibbs-White appeared to be on his way to Tottenham Hotspur, but the transfer has hit a snag. According to English media, Nottingham Forest believes that Spurs acted illegally and is now considering legal action.
Gibbs-White has a €70 million release clause in his contract with Nottingham Forest, a detail that reportedly came into play on Thursday when Tottenham Hotspur appeared to trigger it.
According to respected sources such as the BBC, Spurs were confident that they had met the financial requirement to open formal talks and finalize the deal. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder was widely expected to travel to North London the following day for a routine medical and to begin negotiating personal terms, with many viewing the transfer as imminent.
However, in a dramatic twist, the deal has hit a serious and potentially explosive roadblock. Nottingham Forest has since accused Tottenham of engaging in improper conduct during the negotiation process, with the Midlands club now cutting off all communication with the North London side. According to reports from Sky Sports and other English media outlets, Forest believes that Spurs may have illegally approached the player without the club’s prior consent a serious violation of transfer regulations.
Central to the controversy is the release clause itself. While such clauses are common in modern football contracts, they are not always public knowledge and typically require formal disclosure by the selling club. Forest is said to be deeply alarmed by the fact that Tottenham was not only aware of the exact value of Gibbs-White’s release clause but allegedly acted upon it without ever entering into official discussions with Forest beforehand. The club is now questioning how this sensitive contractual detail became known to Spurs, suspecting that confidential information may have been leaked or obtained inappropriately.
Forest’s leadership views the matter as a breach of professional and ethical conduct and is preparing to file a formal complaint with the Premier League. The club intends to present evidence suggesting that Tottenham contacted Gibbs-White’s representatives prematurely, effectively engaging in what is commonly referred to as "tapping up" an act strictly prohibited under current transfer rules without the express permission of the owning club.
Adding fuel to the situation, Forest reportedly views this as more than just a procedural oversight. Internally, the club is said to be furious, believing that Spurs attempted to undermine the structure of the transfer market by leveraging insider knowledge to fast-track negotiations. Forest officials are particularly concerned about the precedent this could set if allowed to go unchallenged.
As a result, the club has made it clear that the transfer is currently off the table. Tottenham has been officially requested to cease all contact with Gibbs-White and his camp until the matter is resolved. While it remains uncertain whether Forest has the legal grounds to permanently block the move especially if the release clause was indeed triggered according to contractual terms the club is exploring all possible legal avenues to assert its position and defend its interests.
For Tottenham, this development represents a significant setback. The North London club had identified Gibbs-White as a key summer target, with manager Ange Postecoglou reportedly a strong admirer of the England international’s versatility, creativity, and ability to operate between the lines. With James Maddison sidelined by injury for the start of the new season, Spurs were hoping to secure a dynamic midfield addition in time for the pre-season tour.
For now, the transfer has stalled indefinitely, casting uncertainty over one of the most high-profile potential moves of the summer window. The Premier League is expected to review the complaint should Forest proceed, and depending on the outcome, sanctions or fines could follow if Tottenham is found to have breached regulations.
This case could have wide-ranging implications not just for the clubs involved, but also for future dealings across the league, particularly regarding how release clauses are handled and how far clubs can go in pursuing players without formal communication channels being respected.
