Arsenal to rival Tottenham Hotspur for £42m Nottingham Forest forward?

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man has been a shining light in a damaging campaign for the Tricky Trees, having a direct hand in nine goals in 33 games in all tournaments.

Gibbs-White has scored four of his own and set up five more in 2023-24, including three strikes and five assists in 28 Premier League games, where he has worn the captain's armband on seven occasions.

However, Nuno Espirito Santo's men are currently on course for a demotion back down to the Championship after a two-year stay in the top division, having been hit with a four-point penalty for breaching financial regulations.

As a result, the Tricky Trees are one point below Luton Town in 18th place in the table with just nine games left to play, and a potential demotion could lead to a mass exodus of players from the City Ground.

Gibbs-White — who is under contract with Nottingham Forest until 2027 — is one player who could be courted by several high-profile teams this summer, and his sale would help Forest balance the books.

According to the Daily Star, Forest are indeed considering severing ties with the 24-year-old for a substantial fee this summer, and Arsenal are casting a watchful eye over the situation.

The report claims that Mikel Arteta views Gibbs-White as a possible successor to Emile Smith Rowe, whom Arsenal are expected to entertain offers for this summer as he continues to struggle for minutes in North London.

Injuries have derailed Smith Rowe's career since his 10-goal Premier League season in 2021-22, and he has not played for the senior England side since March 2022 on account of his fitness