Willy Gnonto exit verdict amid contract talks at Elland Road, Leeds United will make money from a transfer
Adam Pope believes Leeds United will still make a transfer profit on Willy Gnonto whether he leaves this month or in the summer and new contract talks could see his value increase.
Speaking on Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet on 29 January the BBC journalist said that the Whites may not be able to get the hefty valuations that were expected after his exploits in the Premier League last year but the minimal fee he arrived for will still see the club make money on an exit.
Improved terms for the Italian are believed to be close, with an extra year in line to be added to the deal as well as better wages, and although Pope believes there is a “business argument” to sell him now it is unlikely, and promotion could see the price of any deal start to climb again at the end of the season.
Pope said (9m 30s): “You’re going to make money on him because he was £5million or whatever. Whatever division you’re going to be in you’re going to get more than £5m I would think for him. You may not be getting the £30m or £40m that they were thinking at this stage.
“There’s a business argument to sell him in this window and use the money in the next two days. If that was a week or so ago then maybe but now, unless you need a load of cash to get some deals over the line, that all sounds a bit desperate.
“I think because he’s young enough at 20, new deal maybe, protect the club, he gets better terms, reset in the summer, and you never know you might be in the Premier League with Leeds and suddenly his value starts going up as well.
“Or at least there’s an asset that you’re going to make money on going forward if you are going to sell in the summer. So I kind of get it and I don’t see him going in the next couple of days.”
Eventful year
The news that the permanently exit-linked attacker was set for a new deal did come as a surprise earlier this month after a first half of the season where he hasn’t featured very heavily and has been short of his best when he has.
This late in the window it would surely be too risky to let him go, because injury to Crysencio Summerville or Dan James for any great length of time is going to mean Gnonto is needed.
His time at the club has been hugely up and down, partly down to himself and partly out of his control, after he made a big impression under Jesse Marsch a year ago when he was only expected to be a longer-term development project.
That had the likes of Gary Neville tipping him for a Manchester City move, before Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce then essentially ignored him for the final weeks of the season.
That may have contributed to a push to leave for Everton in the summer which was refused, and even after making amends with Daniel Farke and showing strong commitment since he hasn’t had a run in the side at any stage.
In that context it would be little surprise if he suddenly became key again before the end of the season, and whatever money is available for currently probably wouldn’t go far towards a high-quality signing.
While he isn’t playing his future will likely remain in the spotlight even if a new deal is announced, but an imminent exit seems very unlikely.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have approached a Serie A side to bring in a defender who was keen on the move.
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