Credit: Imago

Daniel Davis

Sun 12 April 2026 16:10, UK

By now, Wilfried Gnonto may already know whether he will start for Leeds United when they travel to arch rivals Manchester United on Monday night.

An opportunity from the off could finally allow him to prove why Daniel Farke has arguably been mistaken in continuously snubbing him this season. A spot on the bench at kick-off, however, and the forward would move a giant stride closer to leaving Elland Road.

Just like his chances of making the XI, Gnonto’s odds of staying put in Yorkshire rest on a 50/50 coin flip. Leeds are gambling on his future, putting the relegation fight above the ace’s personal ambitions. While this is, of course, the right call, the situation is not sustainable.

Long gone are the days of him simply being viewed as one for the future. In the here and now, he is one of the dressing room’s most experienced players but is not leading the way. Instead, Farke has largely restricted him to bit-part cameos from the bench.

While it is a simplification to suggest that he is certain to leave Leeds if he doesn’t start at Old Trafford, where he ends up in the squad would provide a clear indication of Farke’s thoughts. With the Whites hit hard by injuries, there really is no excuse not to start Gnonto.

Does Wilfried Gnonto have a future at Leeds?

In the space of just four years, Gnonto has progressed from a vocal wantaway to one of the club’s brightest talents. He first burst onto the scene after arriving from Swiss outfit FC Zurich in July 2022, and now boasts 23 goals and 16 assists for the Whites.

Crucially, the 22-year-old impressed in the Championship last season, registering 15 goal contributions. This campaign, though, his purple patch has stuttered and faded. In his 16 top-flight matches to date, he has provided just one assist and created a single big chance.

But he is certainly not the only winger in the squad to have fallen victim to this slump. Indeed, Farke’s successful switch to a back five has given Leeds a significant boost in their bid to stay out of the drop zone, but at the expense of natural width on either side of a No 10.

It is cruel that Gnonto was never given a chance to shine in the 4-3-3. A calf injury derailed his season before it had even started, and when he returned, he discovered that Leeds’ widemen were now wing-backs. The crucial role he had been tipped for failed to materialise.

Farke may have expected him to take a lead. Noah Okafor was unproven in the Premier League while there were question marks over Brenden Aaronson and Dan James’ top-flight records. With the World Cup looming, Gnonto would have been doubly keen to impress.

Instead, his career has ground to a halt. A player renowned for his creative spark has fizzled out and now looks to be moving in a very different direction from his club.

There are signs that he will eventually get a reprieve under Farke, but they have been too few and far between. Depending on performances, Leeds can switch to a 4-3-3 during matches, and Gnonto is, at the very least, a formidable substitute to have at their disposal.

Against Manchester United, however, he is unlikely to settle for that. James has been ruled out and Okafor is a doubt, handing Gnonto an olive branch – perhaps his last at Elland Road.

Daniel Farke has handled Gnonto poorly

Farke has unsurprisingly set Leeds up to hang in during matches and fight for every yard, a far cry from their domineering, possession-oriented approach in the Championship.

With the Premier League a brutal and exacting war of attrition, there is often little room for flair, especially for those clubs fighting for their lives. Farke has, therefore, gone with the safety-first option, choosing Aaronson for his energy levels over Gnonto’s unpredictability.

It is somewhat ironic that Gnonto had pushed hard to leave Leeds after they began their Championship campaign in August 2023. The ace started the first game of the season but refused to play in the next three, so determined was he to avoid the second division.

Farke was adamant that he wouldn’t allow him to leave, despite making him train away from the squad. Eventually, Gnonto backed down and was welcomed back into the fold.

Now, though, he has reached a similar crossroads. Despite the ace demonstrating time and again that he can change games or offer Leeds tactical versatility, Farke is unlikely to be the one to row back this time, not with his side’s Premier League status hanging in the balance.

As a result, Gnonto already has one foot out the departure door.

Fiorentina had wanted to sign Gnonto in January, and it does make sense for Leeds to look to cash in on him. Farke may not feel he has much reason to regret his decisions, believing the end always justifies the means, but it would spell a sad end to a once-promising chapter.