Willy Gnonto ‘expected’ to leave Leeds United amid Everton interest, Patrick Bamford and Crysencio Summerville to go too
Leeds United are set to lose at least three more key men after Max Wober’s exit and are targeting six extra signings as a result, the Daily Mail reports.
The Austrian defender’s late exit to Borussia Monchengladbach has come as a blow, but Willy Gnonto, Patrick Bamford and Crysencio Summerville are all “expected” to leave as well before the close of the transfer window.
Gnonto, 19, has been heavily pursued by Everton so far this summer, with a £15million bid rejected according to another Mail report on 15 July, while fellow wide man Summerville, 21, is interesting both the Toffees [Telegraph, 20 June] and Crystal Palace [Mike McGrath, 25 July].
The Whites are also “expecting offers” still for Illan Meslier, and as such Karl Darlow is on the way in amid “advancing” talks for the Newcastle keeper.
But he will only be the second summer signing for Daniel Farke after Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea, so with the two young wingers and 29-year-old striker Bamford tipped to go now there is extensive incoming business planned.
Simon Jones reports in The Mail Wednesday (26 July): “The club saw Max Wober join Borussia Monchengladbach on loan yesterday so are looking to add two centre backs, two midfielders, a winger and a striker with Patrick Bamford, Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville among those expected to leave.”
Time running out
If all that is still supposed to happen in just over a month then it is going to be a wild August as the Championship season gets up and running.
Having got this far with the likes of Gnonto and Summerville in-house Farke would surely be hoping he can keep hold of them.
And quite who would come in for Bamford is hard to imagine after his extensive injury struggles in the past two years, but in all three cases it is impossible to rule anything out as deadline day approaches on 1 September and clubs get desperate.
By the looks of things, with August just days away and even the second signing not yet tied up, Leeds United might be one of those sides getting desperate at the end of next month.
Wober leaving has made defence a key consideration and anyone else leaving would do the same in other positions, although injury timelines for Tyler Adams and Jack Harrison might have ruled them out of exits.
Incoming transfer business is being hampered by a lack of funds generated by low-cost loan exits so affording six more deals will be a challenge unless some of the current stars are sold.
There are some attractive-looking Championship targets available, such as Gustavo Hamer at Coventry and Joel Piroe at Swansea, while Nat Phillips has been linked for a while at Liverpool, so the squad turnover could yet be extensive if cash starts to flow in.
In other Leeds United news, another player is being linked to a Premier League move and is refusing to sign a new Whites contract as a result.