Arsenal are one of several clubs facing a blow in their pursuit of Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, with Forest said to have no interest in selling the 26-year-old in January.
The timing is awkward for Mikel Arteta. Arsenal went top of the Premier League after the 1-0 win at Anfield on Sunday, three points clear of Manchester City, and there is an argument that the squad does not need adding to at all.
Yet the Gunners still lack a bit of quality in the final third at times, and a creator of Gibbs-White’s profile would help. That is exactly the type of player Forest are refusing to give up.
Why won’t Forest sell Gibbs-White in January?
According to Football Insider, Arsenal and the other interested clubs may struggle to get a deal over the line for the England international. Nottingham Forest are not entertaining any offers at the midway point of the campaign.
Results explain a lot of that. Under Oliver Glasner, Forest have collected just six points from their opening nine Premier League matches of 2026-27, and they want Gibbs-White in the side to drag them up the table rather than cashing in for the biggest fee they can get.
His numbers show why. Gibbs-White has 37 goals and 37 assists in 179 appearances for Forest in all competitions, and he is already a Forest legend.
Arsenal, Spurs and Bayern Munich all in the queue
Arsenal are not alone. Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich are also said to be admirers, which makes this a straight fight between the north London rivals for a second time. Arsenal first looked at Gibbs-White in June, after Spurs had come so close to signing him the summer before.
Bayern add a different kind of pull. A player who wants Champions League football and more England caps would not be short of options if Forest ever opened the door.
The 2028 contract changes the maths
The key detail is his deal. Gibbs-White’s contract runs until 2028, and at this point he is unlikely to consider a renewal. Forest can play hardball over a fee for a while, but they cannot afford to risk losing their most prized asset for nothing in 2028.
That puts the summer firmly in play. If he does not sign again, every window that passes makes Forest’s position weaker and the asking price harder to defend.
Is a January move for Gibbs-White now off for Arsenal?
For January, it looks that way, and honestly that is not the end of the world for Arsenal. The Gunners are top, the defence is carrying them, and Arteta has shown he can win tight games without a new face. January was always going to be a hard market for the kind of attacker they want.
The smarter play is patience. Gibbs-White will know his contract gives him leverage, and he is likely to sit tight until the end of the season. If Forest are still fighting at the wrong end of the table by then, and the 2028 expiry is a year closer, Arsenal could find a far more willing seller. The real question is whether Spurs or Bayern get there first.
