Danny Murphy says Morgan Gibbs-White is the perfect Kevin De Bruyne replacement at Manchester City.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder is reportedly among multiple options City will consider to replace the Belgian this summer.
De Bruyne confirmed last week he will depart from the defending Premier League champions at the end of the season when his contract expires.
His next club is yet to be decided but a move to either the USA or Saudi Arabia has been mooted.
The 33-year-old is arguably Man City’s best ever player, having won six Premier League titles, five Carabao Cups, two FA Cups and a Champions League, during his ten years at the club.
In 414 appearances he netted 106 goals and assisted 176.
De Bruyne will leave a void near impossible to fill, a statement Man City manager Pep Guardiola agrees with.
“Our success in the last decade, that would be impossible without him,” said Guardiola.
City are looking at Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz, who is valued at £121 million according to transfermarkt, but Gibbs-White could be the cheaper alternative.
City will see first-hand what Gibbs-White can bring to their team when they face Forest in an FA Cup semi-final on April 20.
Forest have enjoyed a stellar season as they also lie third in the Premier League with Gibbs-White scoring five and assisting nine goals this campaign.
Speaking about the Englishman, Murphy said on talkSPORT: “He’s just got it all. He’s shining in that team [Nottingham Forest] and it suits him being the main man.
“The only question you’d have is playing under bigger pressure and having to do it more consistently.
“He’s terrific with his back to goal, great skill, can score, good passer – he takes risks with his passes and through balls.
“The great advantage with someone like Gibbs-White is he wants to do the work without the ball and you don’t always get attacking players who want to.
“He can play centre midfield, I’ve seen him play it in a two. He is phenomenal, he’s just really unlucky at the moment that England have got so many good players in a similar position. I think he could play in any team.”
In the absence of Ryan Yates, Gibbs-White has also stepped up to take the captain’s armband for Forest.
He is proving that when a head coach believes in him he is capable of leading a team not only with his words but by example also.
Nuno Espirito Santo has known the midfielder since he was 17-years-old at Wolves.
“He’s been fantastic for us all this season, he’s such a talented player,” Nuno has been quoted saying.
