Morgan Gibbs-White to Tottenham transfer twist as major announcement made

Tottenham's plan to add Morgan Gibbs-White to Thomas Frank's team this summer have stagnated in recent hours following reports that Nottingham Forest are considering legal action.

Spurs were understood to be set to trigger the England international's £60million release clause in his contract Forest with a medical to be held on Friday. However, the move was put on hold after Forest reportedly cut off communications with Tottenham.

It's believed that the Reds did not give permission for the north London club to approach Gibbs-White despite the release clause. football.london understands that Tottenham still want to proceed with the deal but Forest are believed to be preparing a complaint to the Premier League which could at the least delay any move from going through.

Now, the move has been placed into further doubt following a decision out of Spurs' hands. UEFA have ruled that Crystal Palace have been demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League after winning the FA Cup last season.

The decision comes due to Palace breaching the governing bodies' multi-club ownership rules. American businessman John Textor owns a stake in Palace and is also the majority owner of Lyon, who have been placed into the Europa League.

It means that the FA Cup winners will now play in the Conference League, though they are said to appeal the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It also places Forest in a better position in their hopes of convincing Gibbs-White to stay.

After failing to secure Champions League football on the final day of last season, Nuno Espirito Santo's men finished seventh and qualified for the Conference League. Now, it's understood that they will now play in the Europa League instead.

UEFA rules state that the next-best-placed club in the top domestic league of the same association will replace a team who drops out, providing the replacement club 'fulfils the admission criteria' of the tournament.

Forest's confirmation of their upgrade isn't said to be confirmed until the outcome of Palace's appeal.

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