Willy Gnonto could become ‘bad egg’ at next club amid Leeds United exit developments
We’re delighted to welcome former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson as our exclusive columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Leeds United …
Willy Gnonto’s attempts to force a move away from Leeds United could give him a “bad egg” reputation to prospective clubs but is unlikely to remain at the club this summer, according to Paul Robinson.
Sky Sports reported (10 August) that Gnonto had made himself unavailable for Leeds’ EFL Cup clash against Shrewsbury Town and their upcoming Championship match with Birmingham City in an attempt to force an exit from the club.
The Italy international has been on the radar of many clubs including Freiburg and Aston Villa, while Fabrizio Romano has claimed (10 August) that Everton have offered him a five-year deal. However, his attempts to force a move with four years remaining on his Leeds contract have garnered criticism.
Robinson claims that a season in the Championship will not make him a worse player, but his attitude and behaviour in this transfer saga could impact his reputation and a potential move to a new club.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, Robinson said: “It’s very difficult for a player in that situation. Gnonto was one of the players you would expect to leave when Leeds were relegated.
“But if Leeds have the financial capabilities and the financial ability to keep a player of that quality to help get them out of the Championship, they have to keep these players.
“You can kick and scream all you like as a player, but at the end of the day, if you’re under contract and the club wants to keep you, the problem that you’ve got is how the player behaves.
“If the player behaves in a way where he’s destructive in the dressing room, it’s not good to have around the squad. If he’s refusing to train, he’s not training properly, not playing properly, then you have a problem. But, then you question the players’ attitude.
“If that is the case of potential suitors looking at him, if he behaves like that at one club, would he do that at my club?
“So there’s this double-edged sword for a player. Sometimes you knuckle down and get on with things because you have to. Leeds United is one of the biggest clubs in this country, fanbase-wise. The Premier League is a better place for Leeds United, isn’t it?
“Players like who were given the opportunity at Leeds, players like Sinisterra, Summerville, young players who have got a long time in the game. One season in the Championship, when you look back on a career, isn’t a bad thing.
“Listen, I had a few of them! So a couple of seasons in the Championship is not a bad thing for players like this. Gnonto doesn’t become a bad player overnight because he played for six months in the Championship.
“But, he becomes a bad egg because he misbehaves and doesn’t want to play, doesn’t train properly and people have an opinion on his character without knowing the person. So there’s, there’s a lot of different ways of looking at this.
“I would be surprised if he’s there at the end of the window. I just hope that things are done right on his behalf and that he gives everything that he’s got if that is the case until the end of the window.
“If he ends up staying, it has to be a harmonious relationship because he’s a fantastic player. He’s a fantastic talent until he came out of the team, I think he was probably up there as one of the best performers of last season.
“The two managers at the end of the season didn’t see fit to start him in games for whatever reason, but he’s a fantastic talent that if focused and if managed right, will be a great asset to Leeds this year.”
In other Leeds United news, an exit-bound Elland Road star could make his debut for his new side this weekend in the Premier League.