The unfolding situation might well be dripping with controversy, but Nottingham Forest will be playing in the Europa League next season as things stand, after UEFA’s decision to remove Crystal Palace from the European competition due to multi-club ownership came as a shock.
Last season in the Premier League, Forest were even dreaming of a Champions League adventure at one point, with just one point the difference in the end between Nuno Espirito Santo’s side competing in one of football’s grandest tournaments and Newcastle snatching fifth place.
Still, they have been handed a fortuitous lifeline by being gifted a spot in the Europa League, with Nuno no doubt now hunting down some significant buys to help them be a success story in the competition.
Nottingham Forest looking at move to sign £40m attacker
Of course, whilst this latest development will have given Forest fans a ray of positivity, there are some challenges still to be addressed at the City Ground involving player exits.
Anthony Elanga has already departed the building for pastures new at Newcastle United, and it did look as if Morgan Gibbs-White was going to be the next high-profile exit, only for his move to Tottenham Hotspur to hit a bump in the road.
It will be welcome news to Forest fans, therefore, that Yoane Wissa is still on their radar as an exciting addition in attack, but – as per a new report by the BBC’s Sami Mokbel – the race has livened up for the standout Brentford striker.
Indeed, the journalist states that the aforementioned Magpies now have Wissa on their list of striker targets owing to Hugo Ekitike favouring a Liverpool switch over a St. James’ Park move. Despite that, Spurs and Forest are both advancing with their plans to sign the forward who could cost £40m.
Why Wissa could be a dream for Gibbs-White
Wissa would have been booed relentlessly when he fired home this poacher’s finish against the Tricky Trees last season.
However, now, he could go on to be a beloved marksman in the Midlands, with Gibbs-White and the DR Congo international perhaps striking up a dynamite duo in attack if the equally in-demand Englishman remains put with Nuno’s men.
Bryan Mbeumo leaving the Bees behind this summer will, of course, be a demoralising loss if it goes through, but Wissa deserting West London during the same window will make Brentford’s bleak situation even more horribly soul-crushing.
After all, Wissa and Mbeumo combined last season to notch up a mighty 39 strikes in Premier League action, meaning they will leave a sizable hole behind.
Those clinical goal-scoring powers on display from the striker when donning Brentford red and white surely won’t dry up at the City Ground with his trusty teammate no longer by his side, especially if he has the likes of Gibbs-White next to him supplying him with countless golden chances.
Last campaign in the Premier League, Gibbs-White struck up an equally fearful partnership with 20-goal titan Chris Wood, with the 5-foot-7 midfielder in dreamland even more if he’s able to link up with another potent attacker next season who needs very minimal touches to strike fear into opposition defences.
Games played
34
35
36
Goals scored
7
19
20
Assists
8
4
3
Touches*
51.1
29.1
23.0
Accurate passes*
28.8 (81%)
12.8 (79%)
8.7 (65%)
Key passes*
1.5
0.8
0.6
Big chances missed
3
17
15
Big chances created
10
3
3
Wissa’s impressive 19-goal tally across the 24/25 campaign came about even as he averaged just 29.1 touches per Premier League clash.
Amazingly, Wood averaged even less at 23 touches per match, as Gibbs-White routinely fed the well-oiled New Zealander with frequent chances to be Forest’s main leading man.
Throw the “exceptional” Wissa into the mix – as he’s been glowingly labelled by Jamie Redknapp – and Gibbs-White could elevate his game even more, with the 25-year-old managing to reach even loftier heights at the City Ground, over favouring a switch to Thomas Frank’s tempting Spurs.
Gibbs-White would love him: Nottingham Forest exploring move for £50m CM
Morgan Gibbs-White might be convinced to stick it out at Nottingham Forest if this ambitious purchase gets over the line.
ByKelan SarsonJul 16, 2025