By George Overhill

14th Jan, 2023 | 11:10am

Willy Gnonto tipped to make Leeds United a fortune with transfer exit after Aston Villa performance

Willy Gnonto is going to make Leeds United a “fortune” if he keeps performing like he did at Aston Villa, according to Tam McManus.

The former Hibernian player and BBC Radio Scotland pundit was watching the game on Friday night (13 January) where the teenage attacker shone in a losing effort despite laying on a wonderful assist for Patrick Bamford.

The former FC Zurich player had Gary Neville falling over himself with praise on Sky Sports, and McManus was similarly wowed by what he saw, tipping him to leave Elland Road for big money in the near future on that form.

Posting on his personal Twitter account after the Italian assisted the Whites goal, McManus wrote: “Gnonto wow what a talent for Leeds. So impressed watching him.

“Wont be there long if continues to put in performances like tonight. Can’t believe he is only 19. Leeds are going to make a fortune.”

King’s ransom

Since Gnonto only arrived at the club on a five-year deal on 1 September the Whites are under no pressure to move him on like they were with Raphinha or Kalvin Phillips in the summer.

And the £3.8million [Daily Mail] they paid for the Italian international is looking like an absolute steal now that he is outshining the likes of Brenden Aaronson and Jack Harrison in the Leeds United attack.

If a club wants to get the Whites to the negotiating table they are going to have to offer a massive fee, but that isn’t outside the realms of possibility in the summer if he produces some more performances like the one at Villa Park between now and then.

The fact that he only made his Premier League debut at Anfield on 29 October, helping to snatch a crucial late win off the bench, shows he has had a pretty staggering rise since.

He has played in every top flight match since that day and is now an almost-certain starter, which is incredible considering he was originally due to be brought in this month as an under-21s project.

Arriving on deadline day in lieu of the senior attacking options that the club failed to land he had significant pressure on his shoulders not to be an anti-climactic signing.

He has done more than that and is currently a reasonable shout for the club’s signing of the season, so everyone associated with Leeds will want him to remain there for the foreseeable future.

If and when he does move on it will be for many multiples of that small fee if he continues in the direction he is going currently, but he has plenty of contributions to make to the Whites before then.

In other Leeds United news, Jesse Marsch approached the travelling fans at full time against Aston Villa and got a notable reaction.