Reds have made a strong statement

YATES: SECURING KEY PLAYER TO NEW DEAL WHEN SPURS MOVE LOOKED LIKELY IS A REAL SIGN OF OWNER'S INTENT

- By JOSEPH CHAPMAN

RYAN Yates considers the retention of Morgan Gibbs-White by Nottingham Forest this summer to be a “strong statement” from owner Evangelos Marinakis concerning the club's direction of travel.

Gibbs-White, 25, looked poised to leave for Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the transfer window, but at the end of last month it was confirmed the former Wolves midfielder had agreed to commit his future to the City Ground and signed a new and improved deal which runs until the summer of 2028.

The Forest captain scored seven goals and produced 10 assists in the Premier League last season as the Reds secured European football for this coming campaign.

The England international earned interest from elsewhere as a result - but in a significant fillip for Forest before the big kick off, the playmaker turned his back on suitors and has remained.