Morgan Gibbs-White’s remarkable late-season surge has reignited the debate over England’s number 10 role, with the Nottingham Forest midfielder rapidly emerging as a serious contender ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
The 24-year-old has been instrumental in driving Forest towards Premier League safety, delivering a standout campaign that has surely caught the attention of England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Gibbs-White’s absence from Tuchel’s 35-man squad for May’s friendlies against Japan and Uruguay raised eyebrows. But his performances since then have transformed the narrative.
He has scored 13 Premier League goals in 35 appearances this season, with an impressive seven coming since the start of March—highlighting a player hitting peak form at the perfect time.
That form was evident again during Forest’s 3–1 win at Chelsea on Monday. Introduced at half-time, Gibbs-White made an immediate impact by providing an assist within six minutes.
In contrast, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer—another contender for the number 10 role—endured a difficult night, missing a penalty and struggling to influence the game across 90 minutes.
While Gibbs-White’s form is undeniable, competition for England’s creative midfield spot remains fierce.
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), and Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) are all in contention. However, Gibbs-White and Rogers have logged significantly more minutes this season—at least 1,000 more than the others.
Statistically, Gibbs-White stands out. He has registered 16 goal contributions from open play (12 goals, four assists), the highest among the contenders, and 12 of those have come since January—far more than any rival.
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy recently highlighted his impact:
“When you're looking as a manager for creative players on who is in form, who is scoring goals and impacting games, some of the other players on the list are not playing as well as him.”
One criticism of Gibbs-White in previous seasons was his lack of goals. That concern has now been firmly addressed.
This is the first time he has reached double figures in a league campaign, with his 13 Premier League goals surpassing his combined tally from the previous two seasons.
Former Forest defender James Perch praised his all-round contribution:
“You can't argue with his numbers this season… He also gets back and helps defensively. He has been unbelievable.”
Despite his form, time may not be on Gibbs-White’s side. England’s final World Cup squad must be submitted by 30 May, and there are no remaining international fixtures before the deadline.
That leaves him reliant on club performances to strengthen his case.
Forest still face key matches against Newcastle, Manchester United, and Bournemouth, along with a crucial Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa, where they hold a 1–0 aggregate lead.
However, there is a concern over his fitness. Gibbs-White was forced off shortly after coming on against Chelsea following a clash of heads with Robert Sanchez, requiring stitches.
With competition intense and time limited, the question remains whether Gibbs-White has done enough to force his way into Tuchel’s plans.
Perch summed up the growing sentiment:
“All he can do is perform for his club—and that is what he is doing. Tuchel can't ignore him for too much longer.”
If his current form continues, leaving him out may soon become impossible.
