Tottenham transfer target Morgan Gibbs-White shows true colours with Nottingham Forest gesture

Morgan Gibbs-White showed his appreciation for the Nottingham Forest faithful during Saturday’s pre-season friendly against AS Monaco.

It was the England international’s first start for the club since the East Midlands outfit blocked his proposed move to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

The 24-year-old was set for a medical in north London after Spurs triggered the £60 million release clause in his contract. However, Forest believed the Europa League winners had obtained information about the clause illegally.

It was then reported that Forest had written to both Tottenham and the agent of Gibbs-White, threatening legal action.

On Saturday, just days on from the saga, Gibbs-White made his return to the field with Forest in a pre-season friendly against AS Monaco at Chesterfield’s SMH Group Stadium.

The midfielder was one of several players handed an extended summer break by Forest after featuring for England at the end of last season.

Gibbs-White was named in a strong first-half XI by manager Nuno Espirito Santo, which included Matz Sels, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chris Wood and Ola Anita.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man was serenaded by the Forest faithful at the end of the first half as both sides made their way into the dressing room.

Rather interestingly, though, Gibbs-White mirrored the same sentiment back to the supporters who made the trip to North Derbyshire as he made a heart shape with his hands before heading down the tunnel.

Of course, Tottenham and Forest supporters will have different interpretations of what Gibbs-White meant by the gesture.

But one thing that is for certain is that with more than a month until the transfer window closes, it feels like we haven’t heard the last of this saga.

As for Spurs, head coach Thomas Frank wouldn’t be drawn on Gibbs-White in his introductory press conference on Friday, saying when asked about the player: “You know me well so I will use what I’ve always said is that I won’t speak about players from outside the club.”