When Wolverhampton Wanderers sold Morgan Gibbs-White during the summer transfer window in 2022 for a fee that could rise to £42.5m to fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest, it looked as though the Old Gold had gotten the better end of the deal.
Fast-forward 18 months, and it looks as though it may have been a big mistake, as the Englishman is starring for Forest.
Wolves may regret selling Morgan Gibbs-White
On the surface, receiving such an extravagant fee for a player who had made just 88 appearances for the club seemed like a no-brainer, yet the 24-year-old has gone on to impress at Forest.
In 66 appearances, Gibbs-White has scored eight goals and grabbed 12 assists, 16 more goal contributions than during his spell at Molineux.
In the Premier League this term, the Englishman currently ranks second among the squad for shots per game (1.9), along with ranking second for big chances created (six) and first for key passes per game (1.7), clearly indicating that he has been well worth the money, especially as Forest could retain their top-flight status this season.
Following the success of Gibbs-White, do Wolves currently have another talented youngster who could make waves in the Premier League?
In Luke Cundle, Gary O’Neil could well unearth his successor to the former Old Gold starlet.
Luke Cundle’s career statistics
The 21-year-old played nearly 100 games for the U18 and U21 sides at the Molineux club, registering 31 goal contributions, and he made his senior bow during the 2019/20 season.
Last season, he earned a loan move to Championship side Swansea City and performed fairly well, making 34 appearances in all competitions in what was his first full season in senior football.
Journalist Josh Bunting said that Cundle was a player who showed “real promise” when he scored against Hull City during the start of that season, and he has displayed it this term.
Another loan to the second tier, this time with Plymouth Argyle, during the opening half of the current season has given Cundle a platform to showcase his abilities, and he hasn't disappointed.
He scored five times and registered six assists in just 27 matches across all competitions and is clearly showing why he could be the next big thing after Gibbs-White, despite playing in a slightly deeper midfield role.
When compared to fellow positional peers in the men’s next 14 competitions in the previous 365 days, Cundle currently ranks in the top 10% for assists (0.25), non-penalty goals (0.18), touches in the opposition penalty area (2.54) and progressive passes received (4.96) per 90.
These statistics certainly prove that the youngster can be an efficient attacking threat from the heart of the midfield and the fact that he has played in an attacking midfield role on 40 occasions throughout his career could be another bonus for O’Neil.
If he enjoys a solid stint at Stoke City between now and May, then he could well find himself a part of the squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, which is something the midfielder has to aim for if he wishes to succeed.
