Tottenham Hotspur will have to shell out around £50m if they intend to secure the signature of Nottingham Forest attacker Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, according to a report.
The 24-year-old has arguably been Forest's standout performer this season, having notched up four goals and six assists in his 34 appearances across all competitions.
The Reds initially paid a fee of around £25m to bring Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers to the City Ground ahead of their return to the Premier League in 2022.
In the last two weeks, Forest were slapped with a four-point deduction for violating the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability regulations.
Now, a report from Football Insider suggests that this sanction may compel them to consider selling some of their best players, including Gibbs-White, with Spurs identifying him as a 'priority target' for the upcoming summer transfer window.
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It is understood that considering Forest's financial predicament, Spurs were hopeful that Gibbs-White would be available at a discounted price.
However, the Reds seem set to hold out for a better return on the attacker, with the report from Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke adding that the current valuation of around £50m is 'not what Tottenham expected'.
O'Rourke also revealed that Spurs are not the only side monitoring Gibbs-White's situation, with Newcastle United believed to be in the running to secure his signature as well.
Tottenham splashed out approximately £50m to acquire Brennan Johnson from Forest last summer and under Ange Postecoglou, the Lilywhites have been one of the biggest spenders in the Premier League this season.
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Their investments total around £230m, with notable signings including midfielder James Maddison and the defensive duo of Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven.
Spurs are currently in fifth place in the Premier League standings with 56 points after 29 games, eight points clear of Manchester United in sixth and three points behind Aston Villa, who currently occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot.
Nuno Espirito Santo's team, meanwhile, are now level on 22 points with Luton Town, who are the first side below the dotted line and have just nine games left this season to salvage their top-flight status.
The Lilywhites will resume league action on Tuesday when they travel to face London rivals West Ham United, while Forest will play host to Fulham earlier the same afternoon.
Devesh Jaganath
