• Unlock more from Tom Collomosse inside the Forest camp with a DailyMail+ subscription - brilliant exclusives, in-depth insight, analysis and more

The transfer news was announced across social media by a user with more than 100 million followers and designed for maximum exposure.

The player in question is Morgan Gibbs-White although – until now at least – he has not changed clubs this summer. Rather, the Nottingham Forest No10 has decided to switch representatives, from the powerful CAA Stellar to ROOF, an emerging force in the world of football agents, and the news came through football transfer influencer Fabrizio Romano.

ROOF's headquarters are in Germany and as well as Gibbs-White, they represent Kai Havertz, Virgil van Dijk, Ademola Lookman and Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler.

When players move to a new agency, the usual conclusion is that they are looking for a way out. While that is not necessarily the case with Gibbs-White, the move certainly raised eyebrows across the game, not least among the Forest hierarchy.

Here, Daily Mail Sport

When players move to a new agency, the usual conclusion is they are looking for a way out. While that is not necessarily the case with Gibbs-White, it raised eyebrows across the game

Gibbs-White (furthest left) is coming off the best season of his career, scoring 15 Premier League goals and 18 in all competitions

What is Forest’s stance?

Unless the offer is too attractive to turn down, Forest’s position is that they have no intention of selling Gibbs-White this summer.

With Elliot Anderson sold to Manchester City for £116million, there is little pressure on Forest to bring in cash from sales and owner Evangelos Marinakis does not want to let another star player go in the same window.

Having hired Oliver Glasner as coach, Marinakis’ plan is to improve, rather than simply consolidate. The idea is to build the new-look Forest around Gibbs-White, who missed out on a place in England’s World Cup squad despite 18 goals and seven assists in all competitions last season.

When Gibbs-White’s move to Tottenham last summer did not go through, he signed a new three-year deal at Forest, making him the highest-paid player in the club’s history. Forest’s plan then was to put Gibbs-White at the heart of everything and, after his brilliant 2025-26, they are not about to change tack.

They also believe Glasner’s arrival can take Gibbs-White’s game to another level – just as he did with Adam Wharton, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze at Crystal Palace. But to achieve this, Glasner needs Gibbs-White to be fully committed, and not with one eye on a move.

Tottenham thought they had triggered Gibbs-White's release clause last summer. Forest thought otherwise and he signed a new contract

New Forest boss Oliver Glasner (right) was brilliant at turning players into stars at Crystal Palace, such as Michael Olise (left)

What is Gibbs-White’s mindset?

This summer and last, Gibbs-White has watched team-mates join Champions League clubs while he has stayed put. Last July, Anthony Elanga moved to Newcastle and this year it was Anderson’s turn to depart. Anderson, incidentally, is represented by Stellar.

This time a year ago, Tottenham believed they had activated a £60million release clause in Gibbs-White’s contract – but Forest thought otherwise and they won the day. Gibbs-White is very well compensated and is settled in Nottingham, where the Forest supporters adore him.

He would not be human, though, if the transfers of Anderson and Elanga had not affected his thinking. If they were good enough to play in the Champions League, Gibbs-White might have wondered, then why wasn’t he? While not necessarily unhappy at Forest, Gibbs-White is ambitious.

He was also bitterly disappointed to be left out by England boss Thomas Tuchel for this summer’s tournament despite turning in the best season of his career, scoring 15 Premier League goals to steer Forest away from relegation.

Daily Mail Sport can reveal that Chelsea showed a growing interest in Gibbs-White earlier this summer but the 26-year-old aspires to play as high as he can and that means the Champions League. He was a boyhood Manchester United fan who idolised Wayne Rooney, while at least once Manchester City have moved for him without taking the final step.

Indeed, Gibbs-White thought he was on his way to City in summer 2025, only for City to sign Rayan Cherki instead for half the cost of the England man's release clause.

As for United, it is thought their priorities currently lie elsewhere, with Bruno Fernandes producing a sensational campaign last term. Daily Mail Sport reported last February that Gibbs-White was seen as a potential replacement for Fernandes were he to leave United this summer but at this stage there appears little prospect of the Portuguese playmaker changing clubs.

This summer and last, Gibbs-White has watched team-mates such as Elliot Anderson (right) join Champions League clubs while he has stayed put

He was a boyhood Manchester United fan who idolised Wayne Rooney, while at least once Manchester City have moved for him without taking the final step

How will this play out?

It is understood that Glasner’s arrival has already had a positive impact on Gibbs-White. At the end of last season, with Forest finishing 16th and losing in the semi-finals of the Europa League, Gibbs-White was assessing his options.

Would he ever fulfil his Champions League dream by staying at Forest? In three of their four seasons since promotion, Forest have been fighting at the wrong end of the table. Last season they finished 16 points adrift of Liverpool, who claimed the final Champions League spot. That is a heck of a gap to bridge.

Gibbs-White is said to have been energised by Glasner’s arrival and has been particularly impressed with the Austrian during Forest’s recent training camp in Portugal. Gibbs-White will also be keeping a close eye on new signings. Will these, plus the arrival of a proven winner in the dugout, be enough to stop his head being turned?

Intriguingly, Daily Mail Sport understands that if Michael Olise leaves Bayern Munich this summer, Gibbs-White would be among the candidates to replace him. Olise is wanted by Real Madrid.

It is worth noting that ROOF have strong links with Bayern, who have recruited extremely well from the Premier League recently by signing Olise in 2024, and Harry Kane a year earlier. Historically, English clubs are more amenable to selling their top players overseas than to domestic rivals, which could also work in Bayern’s favour.

ROOF have strong links with Bayern Munich, who have recruited extremely well from the Premier League recently by signing Olise in 2024, and Harry Kane a year earlier

Gibbs-White is now at the centre of the Forest project and would expect to be treated as such

Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal are also seeking an attacking midfielder to play alongside former Wolves captain Ruben Neves, ex-West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville and 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, yet it would be a huge step for Gibbs-White to move there in the prime of his career, and with his England dream still alive.

If Gibbs-White moves this summer, it may well be overseas. If he stays one more year, there would be other options – perhaps United, if this is to be Fernandes’ final season.

When Forest signed Gibbs-White for £25m plus add-ons after promotion in 2022, then-boss Steve Cooper assured him he would be properly backed even in periods of poor form, which had never happened at boyhood club Wolves.

He is now at the centre of the Forest project and whenever he moves, Gibbs-White will expect similar treatment. The next few weeks promise to be very interesting.