Manchester City are preparing for life without Kevin De Bruyne, and Morgan Gibbs-White has emerged as one of their top summer transfer targets, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Nottingham Forest midfielder has impressed this season, not only for his creativity but also for his tactical versatility and defensive work rate — attributes that would fit seamlessly into Pep Guardiola’s evolving system.
Gibbs-White has recorded five goals and seven assists in the Premier League this season for a Forest side better known for its defensive resilience than attacking flair. His performances have not gone unnoticed, with Guardiola reportedly seeing the 24-year-old as a key piece in City’s midfield reshuffle.
Not just creativity — Gibbs-White offers the complete midfield profile
At a time when City’s midfield core is aging — with Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic, and Bernardo Silva all having surpassed or approaching their 30s — adding fresh legs has become a priority. Gibbs-White represents a rare hybrid midfielder: someone capable of contributing in attack while fulfilling pressing and tracking duties off the ball.
Stats underline his dual-threat capability, ranking among the top attacking midfielders for defensive recoveries and pressures, yet also producing the kind of forward-thinking play that De Bruyne has embodied during his City tenure. Though not a like-for-like replacement, Gibbs-White’s athleticism, tenacity, and positional intelligence provide a new layer of dynamism.
City avoid another slow rebuild with proactive summer moves
Guardiola’s side had to scramble in January to address a loss of form and growing squad fatigue. With Kyle Walker going out on loan and key players like De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva showing signs of decline, the club was forced to promote youth and act fast in the market. This summer, City aim to get ahead of the curve — and securing Gibbs-White early would be a statement of intent.
Fabrizio Romano reported via X:
“Manchester City plan to advance on Morgan Gibbs-White deal in the next weeks as he remains one of the priority targets. No issues are expected on personal terms but work to do with Nottingham Forest as they still hope to keep MGW.”
City are reportedly confident about personal terms, but Nottingham Forest are understandably reluctant to lose one of their best players, especially after their solid Premier League campaign. Negotiations will be key in the weeks ahead.
Replacing De Bruyne might take more than one man
With De Bruyne’s impending departure at the end of the season, the conversation has shifted from finding a direct replacement to restructuring the midfield. Gibbs-White brings the energy and mobility City will lose when De Bruyne leaves, while creative talents like Florian Wirtz are also reportedly on the radar to fill the Belgian’s visionary role.
Individually, none of the rumored targets replicate everything De Bruyne offered. But collectively, they can help Guardiola maintain the high standards that have made City a dominant force in English and European football.
Conclusion
Morgan Gibbs-White may not be the flashiest name on the market, but his growing profile and versatile skillset make him a smart and strategic option for Manchester City. With De Bruyne leaving and other midfield stalwarts aging, City must act boldly. Securing Gibbs-White could be the first building block of a new-look City midfield.
All eyes will now turn to negotiations with Nottingham Forest — and whether City can strike a deal to bring one of England’s most promising midfielders to the Etihad this summer.
