Wilfried Gnonto makes desire to leave Leeds United clear with Italy return likely
Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto wants to make a move to Serie A this summer after the Whites’ failed promotion bid, according to Calcio Mercato.
The Italian publication reported that the 20-year-old Whites winger is keen on making a return to Italy as he bids to get back into Luciano Spalletti’s international side next season.
Leeds paid just £4million for the then-teenager in September 2022, and following their relegation at the end of that season, an asking price of over £20million deterred several clubs rom signing him in the summer of 2023, despite Gnonto making it clear he wanted to leave.
However, after the Peacocks were unable to make an immediate Premier League return, Gnonto looks all but certain to depart. Calico Mercato’s report states that Milan and Fiorentina were interested last summer, while Roma, Sassuolo and Torino had also enquired before he made the move to Elland Road.
Is Wilfried Gnonto’s time up at Leeds United?
It’s difficult to see Gnonto ever lining up in a Leeds shirt again, particularly given that of the players set to be most in-demand this summer, he’s arguably the only one who didn’t occupy a regular starting place under Daniel Farke.
Towards the back end of the season that was the case, albeit Daniel James was always waiting in the wings and made that spot his own for the first half of the season, finishing with more goals and assists than Gnonto.
In the play-off final against Southampton, Gnonto’s displacement of James arguably had a detrimental effect. The Italian started the game but was somewhat ineffective, particularly after receiving a knee to the back midway through the first half.
James replaced Gnonto midway through the second, and went on to have Leeds’ best two chances, rattling the crossbar and drawing a save from Alex McCarthy with two efforts late on.
Therefore, it’s likely that if a suitable offer comes in for Gnonto – most likely around the £20million bracket – Farke will not stand in the Italian’s way to leave, hoping to avoid another strike-like situation which the Italian put the club through towards the end of last summer’s transfer window.
In other Leeds United news, Chelsea are looking to repeat their Cole Palmer transfer trick with a Leeds player.
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