New details emerge in Morgan Gibbs-White to Tottenham transfer saga

Nottingham Forest are yet to complain to the Premier League about Tottenham's approach for Morgan Gibbs-White but it has become a legal matter between the clubs as the transfer limbo continues.

Spurs attempted to sign the 25-year-old last week and made an approach which triggered the £60million release clause in the midfielder's contract. However, Forest are claiming that an illegal approach was made and believe the confidential nature of that clause was breached with claims that Tottenham submitted a bid worth the exact amount required to trigger it.

football.london reported previously that Gibbs-White, who has long-term admirers in both Spurs and their head coach Thomas Frank, never actually left Nottingham to get to Hotspur Way for a planned medical on Friday as Forest's unhappiness and that of their owner Evangelos Marinakis was made very clear to the England international and all involved.

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The player was not involved in Forest's 0-0 friendly draw at Chesterfield on Saturday because he was part of the group of international players who were not returning to training until this week. The midfielder duly returned to Forest's training ground on Monday morning as expected to report for pre-season.

Despite social media speculation that he was not at training on Tuesday, Gibbs-White is believed to have been at Forest's training ground and taken part in training as expected.

The situation has now become a legal matter between the two clubs and while Forest are not believed to have officially complained to the Premier League as of yet, the league will have a duty to look into any claims made about their clubs.

Forest are believed to have been trying for months to tie Gibbs-White down to a bumper new contract to make him one of the club's highest earner, in exchange for removing the release clause or at least including a renegotiated one, but the midfielder has not been keen to enter into any new talks over a deal that has only two years remaining.

Even if there is an expectation from many that a move will likely eventually happen, Forest are making it clear at this moment that the player is not for sale and there is uncertainty currently over exactly how it will get resolved with no communication between the clubs at this time other than the legal proceedings.

There is also no timeframe with legal ramifications to various aspects of it all, including the player's right to leave if the release clause was met, which could spark, if Gibbs-White wished, the avenue to seek a breach of contract.

It appears to be a situation that shows no sign of resolution any time soon.

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