Tottenham have three transfer alternatives after Gibbs-White talks collapse

It was a blink and you miss it transfer saga, or at least that's what it looked like. No sooner had Tottenham's interest in Morgan Gibbs-White been reported, there were rumours that a £60million fee had been agreed, with the midfielder said to have been London-bound for a medical.

However, plans for the capital club to sign Gibbs-White appear to be stunted after Nottingham Forest claimed Tottenham made an "illegal approach". It's suggested Forest could even consider legal action, with the Gibbs-White transfer having been thrown into jeopardy. But if Spurs are forced to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements this summer, Express Sport have detailed three alternative options they could target.

Ederson - Atalanta

Depending on what sort of midfield profile new boss Thomas Frank is after, Spurs could look to reignite interest in a former transfer target. Ederson, currently plying his trade at Serie A outfit Atalanta, was previously linked to the north London outfit, among other Premier League outfits. The 26-year-old is certainly more defensively minded than Gibbs-White, but that doesn't mean he isn't also versatile. Capable of playing as a lone anchor, Ederson also has the ability to operate in a midfield three as more of a box-to-box type.

James McAtee - Manchester City

Or why not just go and snag the player Forest were lining up as their Gibbs-White replacement instead? Having been starved of minutes last season, James McAtee is expected to leave Manchester City this summer, with the Blues said to be after a fee in the region of £40m. McAtee, who captained England's under-21s to European Championship victory just a couple of weeks ago, is certainly on the more attacking end of the midfield spectrum, but with his best years ahead of him, it could be worth a punt. As was the case with Cole Palmer, City have proven in the past they aren't afraid to sell to Premier League rivals, should the price be right.

Exequiel Palacios - Bayer Leverkusen

And finally, an industrial midfielder who has spent the last couple of years being coached by one of the game's greats. Exequiel Palacios played a crucial role in Xabi Alonso's success at Bayer Leverkusen, but much like the ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid ace, is being tipped to leave the Bundesliga outfit. Palacios can operate in several roles across the midfield and in some ways is similar to the sort of profile Gibbs-White would've added to their squad.