Leeds United: Sky Sports share Wilfried Gnonto transfer news amid West Ham United speculation
Leeds United are “more optimistic than ever” that Wilfried Gnonto will sign a new contract at Elland Road, according to Ben Ransom.
The reporter shared the update on Gnonto’s future live on Sky Sports News [23 January, 12:31pm] from the Thorp Arch training base.
It marks a major U-turn from the Italy international’s perspective as he attempted to force through a move to Everton last summer.
West Ham have more recently been linked with Gnonto, but he may now commit to Leeds by penning a new contract.
“The good news for Leeds fans and the club is that they are more optimistic than ever that he’s going to sign a new contract,” Ransom said.
“This is a player we’ve talked about a lot because there’s been interest from other clubs, most notably Everton.
“But it appears as though Gnonto is wanting to stay at Leeds and fight for his first-team place.
“In terms of this season, it has been a little stop-start – he’s started just seven times in the Championship, but he has been a regular off the bench.
“The club are more optimistic than ever that he will extend a contract that currently runs until 2027.”
Surprising
The news emerging today suggesting Gnonto could pen a new deal with Leeds has come somewhat out of the blue.
All the talk around the Italian for the past nine months or so has centred around which club he will join, rather than if he will stay at Leeds.
It almost seemed a formality at one point last summer when Everton lodged a third bid that United would just accept the offer and move on.
However, they refused to sell for less than what they wanted and Gnonto has perhaps accepted that Elland Road is the right place for him.
The 20-year-old has hardly been in great form this season – he has just one league goal – but that can all change in an instant.
Should he pen fresh terms and take his chance when it arrives, he could easily become a regular starter in the final stretch of the campaign.
And as we saw in the Premier League last season, Gnonto is a massive asset to have available when he is fully on it.
In other Leeds United news, a Sky Sports pundit was blown away by something “outstanding” he saw from a Whites player at the weekend.
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