Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White will undoubtedly go down as one of the strangest moves during the summer transfer window.
The Lilywhites thought they had a deal agreed for the 25-year-old, after triggering the £60m release clause within his contract at the City Ground – well, so they thought anyway.
It emerged that Nuno Espírito Santo’s side claimed the approach for his signature was illegal, subsequently putting a move for the Englishman to North London on hold.
However, the attacking midfielder has since agreed a record-breaking contract to stay with the Reds, taking a release clause out of his deal, something which was spare headed by owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Missing out on such a top-level Premier League star will undoubtedly be a disappointment to Thomas Frank and the rest of the Lilywhites staff, but it appears as though they have already moved on to different targets before the end of the window.
The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer
It’s been reported in recent days that Spurs are preparing a move for Manchester City star James McAtee, who’s free to leave the club this summer with just one year left on his contract.
They could be battling Forest for his signature, after they had a £25m bid rejected, with Pep Guardiola’s side demanding a fee in the region of £40m this summer.
However, a cheaper alternative appears to already have been identified, with the hierarchy interested in making a move for Stuttgart midfielder Enzo Millot, according to Estadio Deportivo.
The report claims the Lilywhites are trying to hijack a move for the 23-year-old, after he had already agreed personal terms over a deal to join Atlético Madrid this summer.
It also states the Frenchman currently has a €20m (£17m) release clause within his deal at the Bundesliga side, potentially seeing the North London side getting themselves a bargain.
Why Spurs’ £17m target is a bigger star than Gibbs-White
Gibbs-White would’ve been a sensational signing for the club, especially after Frank made his intentions to land the England international given his admiration for his talents.
The 25-year-old played a key role in Forest’s success last season, notching 15 combined goals and assists in the top-flight, helping them achieve a European finish for the first time in 30 years.
£60m would’ve been one of the most expensive additions in the club’s history, but such a fee would’ve been excellent business, as seen by the Reds’ reluctance to allow him to depart.
Never before has a situation like this been seen over a transfer, but it’s no surprise when dealing with Mr Marinakis, who’s evidently a tricky person to do business with.
However, whilst many supporters must wish a deal for his signature was completed, it may prove to be a blessing in disguise if they can secure a move for Millot in the coming weeks.
The youngster has showcased in the Bundesliga over recent times that he’s a huge talent, worth way more than his current release clause, with the Lilywhites needing to take full advantage this summer.
He produced countless stats better than those of Gibbs-White last campaign, highlighting why he’d be a bigger talent than the England international ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Millot, who’s been labelled “remarkable” by Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth, managed to register five goal contributions in his eight Champions League outings last season, showcasing his ability to thrive at the top-level.
His underlying stats were just as impressive, notching a higher shot on target accuracy rate, subsequently handing Frank’s side a bigger threat in front of goal.
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How Millot & Gibbs-White compare in 2024/25 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90) |
Millot |
Gibbs-White |
|
Games played |
29 |
34 |
|
Goals & assists |
11 |
15 |
|
Goals & assists (per 90) |
0.54 |
0.48 |
|
Shot on target accuracy |
40% |
34% |
|
Pass accuracy |
85% |
78% |
|
Passes into final third |
4.3 |
4.1 |
|
Passes into opposition box |
1.6 |
1.3 |
|
Take-on success |
46% |
40% |
|
Carries into opposition box |
0.8 |
0.4 |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
The Frenchman’s dominance is further reflected in his higher tallies of passes into the final third, with more of which going into the opposition’s 18-yard box, offering a bigger creative threat to the Lilywhites should he join this summer.
There’s no denying that Gibbs-White would’ve been most supporters’ number one choice this summer, but it’s evident that Millot would be a better addition for Frank’s side.
£17m would be a simply superb price for a player of his quality, arguably being one of the best additions made by any Premier League side if they can get it completed in the coming days.
