🔴 Nottingham Forest: Turmoil, Transfers, and the Nkunku Dream
🧨 The Gibbs-White Drama: Tension Behind the Scenes
The last few weeks at the City Ground have been anything but calm.
Nottingham Forest’s star man and club captain, Morgan Gibbs-White, has become the subject of serious transfer speculation — with a brewing dispute now threatening to spill beyond just business. Tottenham Hotspur are believed to have made a covert approach for the attacking midfielder, triggering frustration and suspicion from Forest’s hierarchy.
According to multiple reports, Forest blocked the move, alleging an illegal approach from Spurs. Club owner Evangelos Marinakis, known for being fiercely protective of his assets, was reportedly furious and is now said to be actively hoping Manchester City enter the race instead.
Why Manchester City?
It’s not just about the transfer fee. Marinakis sees City as a “higher calibre” club than Spurs — one that could:
Offer Gibbs-White Champions League football,
Bolster Forest’s image as a club that develops elite talent,
And crucially, avoid strengthening a direct domestic rival like Tottenham.
While nothing is confirmed, there’s a growing belief that MGW could still depart before the window closes, and with Forest’s ambitions growing, they’re not planning to wait until the last minute to line up a replacement.
🔄 The Replacement Search Begins
Forest are working with urgency behind the scenes to prepare for life after MGW, and early reports suggest two key names are on their radar:
✅ Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa)
A young, homegrown talent with explosive potential. Ramsey has been part of Villa’s rise under Unai Emery and fits the profile of a modern attacking midfielder:
Quick transitions
Good in tight spaces
Able to press and recover possession
However, Ramsey lacks the proven leadership and flair-for-the-moment that MGW offers. His signing would likely represent a long-term project, rather than an immediate like-for-like impact.
Which brings us to…
⭐ The Big Dream: Christopher Nkunku
According to Simon Phillips’s Substack, Nottingham Forest are interested in Chelsea attacker Christopher Nkunku — and it’s safe to say the fanbase is ecstatic.
On social media, Forest supporters are calling the idea of Nkunku arriving “perfect,” “dream-like,” and “unrealistic but exciting.”
And honestly? You can’t blame them.
🧠 Nkunku’s Resume: Creative Brilliance Meets Versatility
Nkunku is not just another attacking midfielder — he’s an all-action playmaker who can operate in a variety of roles:
No.10 behind a striker
Wide left in a fluid front three
As a false nine or second striker
During his peak at RB Leipzig, he was one of Europe’s most devastating attacking players.
🔢 RB Leipzig Stats:
172 games
70 goals
56 assists
A goal involvement roughly every 1.36 games
That’s elite. In fact, his final season in Germany earned him the Bundesliga Player of the Season award and saw Chelsea fork out £52 million to secure his services.
⚠️ Chelsea Struggles: A Misfiring Spell or Just Bad Luck?
Nkunku’s time at Chelsea hasn’t gone according to plan — but it’s not for lack of talent.
A pre-season knee injury delayed his debut by months, and upon return, he struggled to gain rhythm amid a chaotic, injury-prone Chelsea squad still trying to find its identity under Mauricio Pochettino and now Enzo Maresca.
However, anyone who’s watched Nkunku closely knows:
His movement is elite.
His finishing is clinical when fit.
His ability to unlock low blocks and link midfield to attack mirrors what MGW does for Forest — only with more proven end product.
🔍 The Reality Check: Could Forest Really Land Him?
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Is Nkunku to Forest realistic?
❌ Challenges:
Nkunku is still under contract at Chelsea through 2028.
He is among Chelsea’s top earners, which would stretch Forest’s wage structure.
Chelsea are unlikely to offload him cheaply, especially with other players more obviously surplus to requirements.
However…
✅ Why It’s Not Impossible:
Chelsea need to sell. With their bloated squad and concerns around Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), they might entertain a high enough offer, or even a loan-to-buy deal.
Nkunku wants regular football. If he’s not a central part of Maresca’s plans, a move to a club where he can start every week might appeal — especially in a World Cup season (2026 prep).
If MGW is sold for £50–60 million, Forest will have the budget to take a serious swing.
This wouldn’t be a typical Forest signing — it would be a statement, one that screams of ambition and a desire to punch above their perceived weight.
🧠 Tactical Fit: Nkunku in Nuno Espírito Santo’s Forest
Let’s imagine a post-Gibbs-White Forest side with Nkunku slotted in. Here’s what it could look like:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
GK: Sels
RB: Aina
CBs: Boly, Murillo
LB: Toffolo
DMs: Sangaré, Yates
CAM: Nkunku
Wings: Hudson-Odoi, Elanga
ST: Awoniyi
Nkunku would operate as the central attacking hub — linking midfield with the front line, drifting into the box, and combining with quick wingers like Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga. His ability to drive forward with pace, pick the right pass, or go for goal himself makes him a genuine match-winner.
🎤 Final Word: Risky or Revolutionary?
If Forest pull this off, it changes the narrative around the club entirely. No longer just a team fighting to stay in the Premier League, they’d be making a clear statement:
“We’re not selling our stars to climb the ladder — we’re replacing them with bigger ones.”
Of course, it hinges on several things:
Whether MGW leaves
Whether Chelsea are willing to negotiate
Whether Nkunku is open to the project
But even if it’s just speculation, the very fact that Forest are being linked with players like Nkunku shows how far the club has come — and how bold the ambitions of Evangelos Marinakis truly are.