Wolverhampton Wanderers are prepared to cash in on Nottingham Forest target Morgan Gibbs-White if he rejects a new contract at Molineux this summer, according to The Sun.

The England youth international was shipped out to Sheffield United on a season-long loan spell last summer, enjoying a fruitful spell at Bramall Lane with 12 goals and 10 assists in 37 competitive appearances for the Blades during the 2021/22 campaign.

This form has attracted interest from other sides including Serie A outfit AC Milan and Premier League sides Nottingham Forest and Southampton, with the latter two both weighing up moves for the 22-year-old's services.

 

 

Bruno Lage's side are keen to tie him down to fresh terms this month as one of their more valuable assets - but there are no guarantees that he will sign on the dotted line after being unable to play an important role in the Midlands last season.

His contract may not expire until 2024 - but Wolves are prepared to sell him this summer in a bid to maximise the fee they generate for his services if he fails to put to paper on a new deal - potentially putting Forest and the Saints on high alert.

However, Gibbs-White's current side are expected to demand more than £25m for his signature, a price tag that may be out of Steve Cooper's side's range with the Reds already prepared to break their transfer record by luring Djed Spence to the City Ground permanently.

The Verdict:

Although Gibbs-White is a real talent and will only get better at his age, spending £25m+ on him at this stage would be nonsensical considering his lack of experience in the top tier and this is why they should give this move a miss if Wolves are unwilling to lower their price tag.

However, they probably do need a new attacking midfielder and although Philip Zinckernagel would be a great addition for £2m, the Dane may be more suitable as a backup option in the top tier.

Gibbs-White has shown he has the ability to play in the top tier after playing well both under Slavisa Jokanovic and Paul Heckingbottom during 2021/22 - but neither Forest nor the Saints should be willing to pay £25m.

It may also benefit Wolves to lower his price tag too if he rejects a new contract because his value will only go down if his contract runs down. 12 months on, he may only have a year left on his deal and that would reduce his price tag by a considerable amount.

They won't want to lose one of their most impressive assets for a very low fee or for free, so it would benefit all parties if he was to be available for less than the amount Wolves will reportedly demand in the coming months.