Nottingham Forest 'advancing contacts' for Morgan Gibbs White replacement, with possible Manchester City move imminent: report

Morgan Gibbs-White has been one of Nottingham Forest's standout players this season.

Nottingham Forest are said to have identified a perfect replacement for Morgan Gibbs-White should he opt for pastures new this summer.

Gibbs-White, who has 14 goal contributions under his belt for the Tricky Trees this season, is as hard-working as they come in midfield and has often been handed the captain's armband at The City Ground this season.

But it is Manchester City who are monitoring the 25-year-old, should they wish to push ahead with their rumoured interest in him, following the news that Kevin De Bruyne will soon leave the club.

Who are Nottingham Forest looking at should Morgan Gibbs-White leave this summer?

Nuno Espirito Santo has done a superb job so far at The City Ground (Image credit: Getty Images)

Chris Wood's exemplary season in front of goal, Anthony Elanga's electric pace and the tireless work of Elliot Anderson are key facets of Forest's success this season.

But losing Gibbs-White would be a huge miss, with The Times reporting just a few weeks ago that City are leading the chase to sign him. So, who could come in as an ideal replacement?

Morgan Gibbs-White, who joined Forest for a club record fee of £25m (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to reports in Italy, Nottingham Forest are keen on signing former City man Douglas Luiz in the summer. Luiz has endured a tough spell in Serie A, with some additional claims suggesting he was contemplating a move back to England in January.

Forest are another side cited to have lodged their interest in the Winter market, but the 26-year-old stayed put with Juventus. So far, the report states that only Nottingham Forest are moving forward in a 'concrete manner' for Luiz.

Boasting plenty of Premier League pedigree, Luiz enjoyed a spell at Aston Villa after his move from Manchester City and could aid their squad depth should Espirito Santo's side qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

A loan move with a purchase option could also be explored, which will be converted into an obligation if certain set conditions are met across the season, it is claimed.

Douglas Luiz's move to Juventus hasn't exactly gone to plan (Image credit: Getty Images)

In FourFourTwo's view, Luiz would be a decent pick-up for Forest should they qualify for European football or not. His wages may be the only sticking point in a potential deal, it must be said.

Nottingham Forest are in FA Cup action this weekend as they take on Manchester City in the semi-finals.