Nottingham Forest is determined to keep Morgan Gibbs white, but still have to submit a formal complaint to the Premier League about the behavior of Tottenham in their attempts to sign the midfielder.
Sky Sports News can reveal that Forest has been trying for almost a year to open the negotiations with Gibbs-White about a new and improved contract on the city, but he has chosen not to go to those conversations.
Forest is willing to give him a huge wage increase, in exchange for the removal of the release clause, so that he would be one of, if not the biggest earners at the club.
Sky Sports News has been told that forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is willing to lose significant sums of money to defend his position that Spurs has given an alleged illegal approach for one of the best players on his part and that there has been a violation of confidentiality in Tottenham who is aware of the value of the Buy-Outclause.
Rob Dorsett from Sky Sports News answers the most important questions about the Transfersaga …
Do traces still want to do a deal?
Yes, we understand that they are, but they take a look at a month and a half of the transfer window to go.
Spurs have made it clear that they are willing to meet the buy-out clause of Gibbs-White, which has been reported that it is worth £ 60 million.
It is possible that traces make an increased offer – above the level of the reported buy -out clause – to try to soothe the forest and reopen lines of communication. But there are no indications that Tottenham is willing to do that and it is far from clear whether that would work, where Marinakis is currently determined in its position.
What does the current contract situation mean?
From the point of view of Forest, the refusal of Gibbs-White to discuss a new contract that he has no long-term obligation for Bos.
With regard to his current contract, there is legally a conflict between the rights of the employer and that of the employee.
Forest has a contractual agreement for the conditions of the contract of Gibbs -White – and in particular the level of his release clause – to be kept confidential, so if that is violated, they have a legal matter.
Conversely, Gibbs-White has a contractual agreement that if another club is willing to pay a certain transfer costs, he can leave the city. He also has a potential legal claim there.
Neither parties want to see this end in the courts, but both parties have that as a possibility in the background.
So what is the following?
The result is the current stalemate. If he really wants to become a member of Tottenham, it may be that Gibbs-White must take legal steps against Forest and claim a breach of contract to try to force a movement.
He could strike or make a formal transfer request. There are no indications that he is willing to do that at the moment, and in fact he returned to the training for the season as planned on Monday with the rest of the international players of Forest. In contrast to some reports on social media, he was back in Nottingham on Tuesday.
Sky Sports News has been told that Tottenham has nothing to do at this stage to do something, but they certainly did not give up in their attempts to sign Gibbs-White. It is clear that they feel that they have done nothing wrong and nothing but what most clubs do when they consider a transfer offer for a player, but first want to gauge whether that player would be open to the idea.
How difficult is this situation for Bos?
It is very sensitive. They don't want their best player to be unhappy, but they don't want to be seen as a 'sales club' or one that has no ambition.
After the departure of Anthony Elanga to Newcastle, Gibbs -White to leave too, Forest will have lost two of their best players – albeit by earning £ 115 million – before the season starts.
Marinakis will strongly defend his own reputation and the status of his football club, although the presence of the release clause is important and ultimately means that Forest has no control over the future of one of their most important assets.
Marinakis and Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, are among the toughest negotiators in the Premier League and neither will probably deteriorate.
Neither Bos nor traces have commented on these latest developments.
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