Ola Aina’s teammate denies Nigerian-born star prestigious Premier League award

Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White has secured the EA SPORTS Player of the Month award for April following a sensational run of form that helped pull his side away from the relegation zone.

The midfielder’s triumph sees him edge out a competitive shortlist, including Nigerian-born Swiss forward Noah Okafor.

Gibbs-White, a key teammate of Super Eagles defender Ola Aina, earned the prestigious individual accolade for the first time after a prolific month in the top flight.

The Forest skipper recorded four goals and one assist in just three appearances, highlighted by a stunning 15-minute hat-trick during a 4-1 comeback victory over Burnley.

He followed that performance with another goal and an assist in a 5-0 thrashing of Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

These results, complemented by a draw against Aston Villa, have placed Vitor Pereira’s side six points clear of the bottom three with only three games remaining in the season.

The victory was particularly significant as Gibbs-White topped an eight-man shortlist that featured some of the league’s most in-form talents.

Among the nominees was Leeds United’s Noah Okafor, a Nigerian-born Swiss international whose own impressive displays were not enough to stop the Forest man from making history.

Other stars denied the award included Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and Nico O'Reilly, as well as West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen.

By winning the vote, a combination of public choice and expert panelling, Gibbs-White becomes only the second player in Nottingham Forest's history to win the award, following in the footsteps of striker Chris Wood’s success in October 2024.