Morgan Gibbs-White has established himself as one of the Premier League's top midfielders after his rise to prominence with spells at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Swansea City, and Sheffield United before landing at Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2022.

Since joining the Tricky Trees, he has gone on to tally 37 goals and 37 assists in 176 appearances across all competitions, earning the captain's armband during the 2024/25 season.

Thomas Tuchel has somewhat taken notice of Gibbs-White's exploits in the league as well, as he's earned eight caps for England, spanning back to a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in September 2024. Lee Carsley had been in charge on a caretaker basis at the time and handed him his first senior national team appearance.

A native of Stafford, it's no surprise that Gibbs-White made his start with Wolves' youth teams, but he's previously admitted that he loved watching Manchester United when he was a young boy growing up. At 26 years of age, he'd have watched a bevy of United players at the peak of their powers towards the end of Sir Alex Ferguson's reign as manager.

Morgan Gibbs-Whit Names His Idols

In an interview with the Premier League back in 2023, Gibbs-White reflected on his childhood watching Manchester United. He revealed his admiration for two legendary Red Devils:

"Growing up as a kid, I supported United so Rooney was always my favourite player. He was the real key player in that squad, so calm and composed. He used to pick up pockets, run in behind, score goals."

Gibbs-White added: "Another player when I was growing up that I loved watching was Paul Scholes. He could pick the ball up and just zing it everywhere. He was just so calm and composed on the ball. That's where my love for football came (from)."

Rooney and Scholes wrote their names in United's history books throughout their careers at Old Trafford. While the former became the club's all-time top goalscorer, the latter is recognised as one of, if not the most naturally gifted midfielders in English football history.

Star Struck

Gibbs-White also recalled a point where he had the chance to meet and speak with Rooney when the striker was manager of Derby County. At the time, back in Gibbs-White was with Sheffield United in the Championship on loan from Wolves.

"I was too nervous to go and say hello. I grew up idolising him so to see him in the flesh was a bit like, 'Woah'. As a kid I loved United and I always watched Rooney. I really enjoyed the sort of player he was: hard-working, gritty, didn't care who was in front of him, he was going through them," Gibbs-White said.

Fast forward to where Gibbs-White is now, and a lot of the parts of his game that he excels at in his attacking role is modelled off of what he watched Rooney do when he was younger - and he was also given the number 10 kit at Nottingham Forest. "He scored goals, set them up. He wore No 10 and I've often played in that position, so I was buzzing to be offered the shirt when I joined Forest," Gibbs-White raved.

Former Forest Boss Foresaw The Trajectory

Steve Cooper was Nottingham Forest manager for a little over two years from the fall of 2021 to the winter of 2023. He played a key role in guiding Forest to Premier League promotion in the spring of 2022, but was ultimately axed in the winter of 2023 despite keeping the club in the Premier League for the 2022-23 season.

Nonetheless, Cooper had the chance to manage Gibbs-White and could always see that the attacking midfielder was destined to eventually be involved with the senior England squad.

"I know he'd love to go and make the final step with England. But he's only going to do that by doing what he's been doing for us. You can improve naturally through playing - that's so important for young players - to get as many games as they can. There's been a brilliant commitment to games and the delivery of performances and, at times, they've been eye-catching, haven't they," Cooper said back in 2023.

"There have been moments when he's really excelled. What he's done - everyone knows his obvious strength in terms of his risk-taking and his wanting to do something with the ball. He's also added a real maturity to his game and an understanding of the defending side - he's always worked hard," Cooper added.

Of course, he saw the writing on the wall and, by now, Gibbs-White has made a total of six appearances for England's senior team between managers Tuchel and interim Carsley. His Three Lions involvement(s), though, cannot understate just how important he is, and has been, for Forest.