Tottenham warned against making ‘Van Dijk’ approach for £60m star

Spurs won’t be bullied out of the deal

Speaking to Football Insider, financial expert Stefan Borson advised that Tottenham may end up paying above the £60 million clause to resolve the dispute and eliminate any chance of the deal being hijacked. Though the clause is now public knowledge, Spurs remain the only club actively engaged in talks to bring the former Wolves man in.

“If he had a very good half of the season, let’s say, there could be other teams that would be interested in buying him.And then there’s the question as to what does happen now with a release clause that the whole world knows about. So right now, any club presumably could pick up the phone to Nottingham Forest and say, well, we’re triggering the release clause.“

Borson referenced the infamous Virgil van Dijk transfer saga, where Liverpool stepped back before returning six months later to complete the signing. But Tottenham are unlikely to follow that cautious approach. Unlike the Van Dijk case, Spurs can’t risk letting this slip. Morgan Gibbs-White’s rising profile means that postponing the deal could open the door for other suitors. Waiting might cost us the player altogether.

Of course, we know Liverpool walked away from Van Dijk and came back in January. I wonder, though, in this scenario, whether Spurs would be as relaxed as Liverpool were. I can well imagine that Van Dijk told Liverpool that he was okay to wait six months, and Liverpool told Van Dijk they would definitely purchase him in January, and therefore they had a clear run on it.”

Forest’s aggressive stance, spearheaded by Marinakis, is clearly designed to drive the price up, but Tottenham are no strangers to hardball negotiations. The club knows what it wants, and with Thomas Frank aiming to build a fluid, dynamic midfield, Gibbs-White fits the bill perfectly. A few million more to secure the long-term vision? It’s a price worth paying.

No time for second-guessing

Tottenham have often been accused of hesitating at the final hurdle when it comes to transfers. That cannot happen here. Morgan Gibbs-White is not just another midfield addition, a Premier League-proven talent in his prime who would slot seamlessly into our system. Letting this opportunity pass especially over a dispute that can be resolved with a modest add-on—would be a step back.

Spurs have momentum under Thomas Frank. We’ve already made three impressive signings. Now is the time to reinforce that with intent. Pay the premium, shut down the noise, and bring Gibbs-White to North London.