Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Wed 15 April 2026 20:10, UK

Wilfried Gnonto isn’t doing enough when called upon for Leeds United, but Daniel Farke can utilise the winger far better than he is.

Gnonto admitted this season has been a disappointing one for him on a personal level after struggling for game time at Leeds in the Premier League.

Indeed, the fact that he has been an unused substitute in six of Leeds’ last 10 Premier League games highlights how the 22-year-old is no longer a key player at Elland Road.

In their Championship-winning campaign in 2024-25, Gnonto scored nine goals and added six assists in 43 league appearances, but his effectiveness in the division above has waned.

The Italy international had a cameo role off the bench in Leeds’ 2-1 win over Manchester United on Monday, suggesting he is still in Farke’s plans.

But Leeds’ victory at Old Trafford may paint a bleak picture for Gnonto going forward.

Wilfried Gnonto struggling to make an impact at Leeds

Gnonto was brought on at Old Trafford with 16 minutes to go for two-goal hero Noah Okafor. In that time, he had no shots on goal, lost the ball seven times, and carried the ball 107.9 metres.

Conversely, he was successful with two out of his three dribbles and was fouled once. Moreover, he was accurate with 15 of his 18 passes; he made one recovery, one clearance, and won three of his seven ground duels.

One thing that became clear against Man United was that Gnonto is not really the type of player to see a game out, especially given the space that wasn’t utilised against 10-men.

His size and stature are not well-suited for defensive contributions, but he can be effective when chasing a game or trying to win one.

The fact that Gnonto is not relied upon much these days suggests Leeds are beginning to move on from the Italian, as much as we don’t want that.

If Leeds want to stay up and then progress up the Premier League next season, a player of Gnonto’s calibre may be left behind.

Leeds need to improve their squad, and it is up for debate whether the young Italian does that anymore.

Ao Tanaka’s performance at Old Trafford showed that underutilised players can shine when given a chance. But it seems Gnonto may be in a different boat than his teammate.

Where will Gnonto’s game time come from?

Gnonto has arguably suffered from the summer arrival of Leeds winger Okafor, with the Swiss international’s pace, power and eye for goal putting him above in the attacking pecking order.

Next up, Leeds take on Wolves in a huge clash near the bottom of the Premier League table.

After Leeds’ win over Man United, the Whites are six points clear of the relegation zone, but victory over Wolves could extend that gap to nine points if results go their way.

With the change of system somewhat removing wide wingers, Gnonto has suffered again.

Leeds have an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea to look forward to, along with league matches against Wolves, Burnley, Brighton, Bournemouth, Tottenham, and West Ham.

It is hard to see Gnonto getting more than the odd cameo here and there, but for the time being, a start seems out of the question, barring an injury.