Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden... Morgan Gibbs-White? Should Nottingham Forest star be in England squad?
Published 01/04/2025 at 21:49 GMT+1
England are as well stocked as they ever have been in forward positions, with new head coach Thomas Tuchel able to pick from a huge talent pool. One man who was in and out during the recent international window was Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, who has been a key cog in his side's surprise charge up the Premier League table this term. The TNT Sports panel discuss his merits.
How does Gibbs-White get into England team ahead of Bellingham, Palmer, Foden?
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Does Morgan Gibbs-White merit a place in the England squad?
The Nottingham Forest midfielder has had a hugely impressive season for his club in 2024/25, recording nine assists and five goals in the Premier League to date as he has driven their run towards a UEFA Champions League spot.
There are, however, a surfeit of options in forward areas for England and Thomas Tuchel, with the likes of Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden all in the mix for the central attacking berths.
As part of TNT Sports' live coverage of Forest v Manchester United on Tuesday night, the panel of Rio Ferdinand - himself an 81-cap England international - and ex-Forest boss Martin O'Neill gave their view on the 25-year-old.
O'Neill began: "Obviously there's a call here from Nottingham Forest because the fans see him every single week.
"The manager of England has decisions to make, but I have to say that England are quite strong in departments where you would think he would be fitting into.
"However, he has been excellent and there's no reason why he couldn't get into a squad."
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Ferdinand suggested Gibbs-White's displays might be attracting attention from the sides more regularly fighting at the top end of the Premier League.
"One thing I would say, they are going to do well to keep hold of him in the summer," he said.
"Yes they are going to get into the Champions League, I think right now, and that might be a reason he may stay here.
"But I think there will be many people that will want him in the top six teams to go to their teams and improve their squads."
O'Neill put to Ferdinand whether he should be in the England squad.
"Yes, right now on form I do [think he should be]," the ex-Man Utd defender answered.
"He's one of the catalysts in this [Forest] team, he got this team where they are, surprisingly. From the beginning of the season we wouldn't have expected it.
"Now I agree, to start [for England], there's a big debate to be had because there are so many quality players in that position - Jude Bellingham, [Phil] Foden, [Cole] Palmer."
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It was Palmer's withdrawal from Tuchel's first squad in the recent international window that saw Gibbs-White called up, and it will be instructive to see what happens when The Three Lions come back together in June.
The venue for the second of those games? A friendly with Senegal at the City Ground, an encounter that Gibbs-White surely has his eye on.
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Thoughts?