At the outset of the summer window, all signs pointed to Morgan Gibbs-White becoming a Manchester City player. The Nottingham Forest midfielder had drawn strong interest from the Premier League champions, who were believed to be targeting him to bolster their midfield creativity. However, the anticipated move never came to pass.
Instead, City opted for a different path, choosing to secure the signatures of Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders, among others. Now, Gibbs-White is on the brink of a high-profile £60 million transfer to Tottenham Hotspur, according to Fabrizio Romano. His likely move to North London has left some City supporters questioning why the club didn’t follow through on their initial interest.
Romano explains City’s transfer rethink
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano shed light on the club’s decision. He confirmed that Gibbs-White had indeed been on City’s radar early in the window. But as the market evolved, the club reassessed their priorities. Rather than committing a hefty sum for a single playmaker, City adjusted their approach to spread their investment across several key positions.
According to Romano, City saw greater value in acquiring multiple players rather than dedicating a large chunk of their budget to one target. This strategy led them to sign Rayan Cherki as their primary creative midfield option, effectively replacing the need to pursue Gibbs-White further.
Smart spending strengthens Guardiola’s squad
While Gibbs-White remains a top-tier Premier League performer—having enjoyed an impressive 2024/25 campaign with Forest—City were able to secure Cherki for half the cost. BBC reports confirmed the Frenchman joined for £30 million, significantly less than the fee Spurs are expected to pay for Gibbs-White.
The financial flexibility from the Cherki deal enabled City to finalize additional signings, including left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri and midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. Backup goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli also arrived as part of the club’s broader recruitment efforts. With these signings, City reinforced several areas of the squad instead of concentrating funds on one major addition. That multi-faceted strategy, led by sporting director Hugo Viana, has been praised as a calculated and efficient way to prepare Pep Guardiola’s team for the upcoming season.