England urged to pick Nottingham Forest star that offers ‘something different’ to Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Co - with Morgan Gibbs-White clinging to World Cup dream

Gibbs-White has become a talismanic presence at the City Ground on the back of his big-money transfer from Wolves in 2022 - with that deal worth up to £42.5 million ($57m). Forest consider said fee to be money well spent and would be demanding close to double that figure from any sale.

The hope is that - having tied the 26-year-old down to a new contract last summer, amid interest from Tottenham - a man that has passed 160 appearances for the Reds will take in many more while operating on the banks of the Trent.

Forest have provided Gibbs-White with the platform on which to earn six senior international caps, and he remains in contention to grace FIFA’s flagship event this summer.

The likes of Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze are also in that mix, but former England U21 star Lansbury - who is supporting the ‘Check Your Bally’s’ campaign which will be raising funds for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month across the next round of Premier League fixtures - told GOAL when asked if Gibbs-White can force his way up the pecking order: “Do you know what, he's playing well so there's every chance and he gives something different, I think, to the others. He's got to be in the conversation. He has to be, for me, involved in that conversation. And for me he's quite high up in that conversation considering he's playing week in week out and in the final four of European competition as well.”

Lansbury has seen Gibbs-White pass double figures on the goal front this season, while creating 43 chances in Premier League action - with only Foden bettering that tally, by two, when it comes to England hopefuls.

Forest will be longing for another decisive contribution from the man that fills their captain’s armband on a regular basis when playing host to Burnley on Sunday. That contest will form part of the ‘Check Your Bally’s’ campaign.

Explaining what that is all about, Lansbury said: “Bally’s and Oddballs have teamed up. Obviously I tested for cancer 2016 and for them to come and take over at the Forest ground is a mark of massive respect to them.

“And for me to be involved in it, I can't wait to really help raise awareness and donations to the charity. If it gets one person to check and then saves one life and they catch it early, the chances of coming out of it if they catch it early are so much higher than if you leave it a lot longer.”

Forest will welcome Burnley to the City Ground buoyed by a battling victory over 10-man Porto in the Europa League that has carried them into a first continental semi-final in 42 years - since the days of legendary former manager Brian Clough calling the shots.

Gibbs-White’s deflected effort saw the Reds to a 2-1 aggregate win over Portuguese opposition, with major silverware still up for grabs in 2026. The plan is for such occasions to become a common occurrence for a team that has two European Cup triumphs to its name.

Pressed on whether ambitious owner Evangelos Marinakis can make Forest perennial contenders for European competition, with no dream considered to be too big, Lansbury added: “Yeah, the club's made for it isn't it? It really is such a fantastic club with such a massive fan base and to take it back to the good years that they had, I think he's not massively out of his dreams. They've got a great chance in Europe as well, so hopefully they can go and win the competition.”

As part of its ‘Check Your Bally’s’ awareness drive for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, Bally Bet will donate £100 to The OddBalls Foundation for every VAR check across the Premier League this weekend.

VAR checks have become a familiar part of the modern game, with fans often waiting while key decisions are reviewed again and again. This weekend, those moments will serve as a reminder of something more important. Every time the game stops for a check, Bally Bet will make a donation, linking the idea of checking on the pitch with the importance of checking yourself off it.

Bally Bet will help The OddBalls Foundation raise further crucial awareness through a dedicated matchday takeover of Nottingham Forest vs Burnley in the Premier League on April 19.

Using the natural habits of football fans, Bally Bet will deliver the ‘Check Your Bally’s’ message across stadium LEDs, big screens and the matchday programme, reminding supporters that checking should not stop at offsides, penalties and last-minute winners. The OddBalls Foundation will be on site at the City Ground, offering fans the opportunity to speak to trained professionals.

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