Leeds United in ‘really busy’ transfer exits update with Willy Gnonto move to Everton still alive as Max Wober closes on deal
Leeds United will be “really busy” between now and the close of the transfer window and there will be further departures yet, according to Ben Jacobs.
Max Wober is currently in line to be the latest player to leave on loan amid recent developments that have seen him enter talks with Borussia Monchengladbach, and Willy Gnonto has been singled out as another who may still follow.
There have been “mixed messages” from Elland Road and Goodison Park over a rejected £15million bid from Everton for the Italian international attacker, according to Phil Hay on The Square Ball on Friday (21 July), but the transfer links are extensive and Jacobs believes that deal is still “one to watch” this summer.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the CBS journalist said: “I expect Leeds to be really busy and I think that there’ll still be some other outgoings. I think that Gnonto to Everton is one to watch.”
The 19-year-old is one player the Whites have been widely reported to want to keep hold of [The Athletic, 6 July].
Bleak outlook
Until very recently things were tentatively starting to look up for Leeds United fans as Ethan Ampadu arrived from Chelsea, and with new chairman Paraag Marathe admitting he is working on keeping star men from leaving after the 49ers takeover was completed.
But Daniel Farke’s updates following the 2-0 friendly loss to Monaco on Saturday (22 July) have put a dampener on the situation, with Tyler Adams and Jack Harrison declared out injured past the start of the new campaign if they stay, along with Junior Firpo [Phil Hay, 22 July].
And even more concerning is the news that key defender Wober is now “close” to a loan move to Borussia Monchengladbach [The Athletic, 23 July], having been omitted for the preseason friendly.
The Austrian was reported [Leeds Live, 6 July] to be one of the stand-outs from the miserable Premier League relegation campaign who wanted to remain, so if he is now on the way out it will reduce confidence that Gnonto can be kept hold of.
Whether Everton can afford the fee that he surely is worth is a valid question in light of their well documented financial pressures, but although the Toffees’ advances were rebuffed it doesn’t seem to have drawn a line under the matter.
A reported Elland Road “exodus” being on the cards with eight first-team players pushing to leave was alarming [Last Word on Sports, 18 July], but with one of those named quickly closing in on an unexpected exit it perhaps needs to be taken quite seriously.
It was always going to be a struggle to keep hold of the top performers, but to get this far and then start losing them with the season just around the corner would be all the more damaging.
In other Leeds United news, one senior figure was expected to leave soon but has “impressed” the hierarchy and could now get a new deal says Phil Hay.