Leeds United to receive summer bids for Wilfried Gnonto despite what Daniel Farke has done
Leeds United will “without a doubt” receive summer bids for Wilfried Gnonto despite the excellent man-management job of Daniel Farke, Paul Robinson has said.
The Italy international was the subject of heavy summer interest from the likes of Everton and even handed in a transfer request to try and make an Elland Road exit happen.
The 20-year-old endured a tough time from the stands after his attempt to quit the club and then spent a large part of the season on the bench as Dan James kept him out of the side.
But Gnonto has flourished in recent months and has seven goals in all competitions since the turn of the year (eight in total for the campaign).
It was even reported by Fabrizio Romano at the end of January (GiveMeSport) that Leeds were pushing for a new deal for the diminutive forward, although a new deal has yet to be announced.
Robinson hailed the job Farke has done in rebuilding Gnonto’s place in the team at Leeds but thinks there is bound to be interest in him and Leeds’ other attacking stars, especially if they don’t get promoted.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, the former Whites goalkeeper said: “I think there are going to be bids coming in for him without a doubt because he’s having an excellent season, he’s recreated the form that he had last season.
“When he came into the side in the Premier League he was excellent and I think the problem that Leeds have got is they have got some very talented players like Gnonto, like Summerville, like James, like Piroe – you look at where the goals have come from in that team this season, Patrick Bamford has been the leading scorer in that team at times over the years but the goals have spread out all the way through that team.
“And Gnonto is playing his part, I mean he’s got eight already this season. His goal against Millwall was fantastic, his performance against Millwall was fantastic, the problem Leeds have got is that if the worst does happen and they end up staying in the Championship then they are going to lose players, there are going to be bids for players.
“But obviously if they go up the Premier League then I think they’ll be able to keep the squad together and I think the manager deserves a lot of credit because of the way he handled the Gnonto situation.
“At the start of the season, almost refusing to play, wanting to leave, and the man-management there, the turnaround the manager’s had to do, the relationship with the player to get those kind of performances out of him, the manager deserves a lot of credit for the way Willy Gnonto’s playing.”
Leeds United to receive Wilfried Gnonto bids?
Gnonto is in terrific form right now and was on the scoresheet in their past two victories against Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall.
He hasn’t always been a guaranteed starter this season given the fine form James was showing earlier on in the campaign but Gnonto has really stepped it up recently.
The key for Leeds when it comes to Gnonto’s future, as it is with several players, is getting promotion back to the Premier League.
If they can keep Gnonto and their other forwards firing in the closing weeks then that goal is going to become a reality come May.
In other Leeds United news, Darko Gyabi has spoken out after an official announcement was made.
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