Summary
- Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto is expected to remain at Elland Road beyond the winter transfer window.
- The Italy international had been linked with a move to Everton during the summer and even submitted a written transfer request.
- The Toffees are one of three clubs who are rumoured to be evaluating a potential deal for the 20-year-old in the new year.
Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto will remain at the club if the side can immediately return to the Premier League this season, as journalist Ben Jacobs provides an internal transfer verdict inside Elland Road.
Head coach Daniel Farke has been tasked with securing the Whites’ promotion from the Championship this term, having lost their top-flight status following relegation last season.
Several key players left Leeds during the last transfer window, and Gnonto was expected to depart in search of Premier League football. However, the winger remains at the club and will likely stay during their race for promotion beyond the winter transfer window.
Gnonto’s summer transfer saga
After breaking into Leeds’ senior side last season following his £3.8m arrival from FC Zurich, Gnonto caught the eye of several Premier League outfits during the summer transfer window. Their Championship status had weakened the Whites’ firm stance on keeping the player at Elland Road, and the departures of key players such as Tyler Adams and Rodrigo Moreno exacerbated this.
With under two weeks of the summer window remaining, The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported that Gnonto had submitted a written transfer request after Everton expressed interest in his services. The Toffees saw multiple offers for the 20-year-old rejected, including a final £25m bid for the Italy international’s services.
Leeds had confirmed they were opening disciplinary proceedings with the player after he refused to play for Farke’s side in Championship meetings with Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. After rejecting Everton’s latest offer, Farke decided to reintegrate Gnonto into training before securing his return to the side.
Everton eventually pulled out of the race to sign the forward. Jacobs has also told GIVEMESPORT that he doesn’t believe the player is unhappy despite his lack of minutes and suggests there are opportunities for him to break into the side.
| Wilfried Gnonto – 2023/24 Championship stats vs current teammates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Output | Squad rank | |
| Dribbles per game | 1.4 | 4th |
| Fouled per game | 1.7 | 4th |
| Assists | 1 | =5th |
| Shots per game | 1.1 | 5th |
| Goals | 1 | =6th |
| Overall rating | 6.55 | 14th |
| Stats according to WhoScored | ||
Ben Jacobs update – Wilfried Gnonto
Jacobs indicates that Gnonto is unlikely to leave Leeds during the winter transfer window, despite Everton’s recent upturn in form, as there’s no guarantee he’ll be a top-flight player come the summer. However, the winger’s future could be questioned if he’s not playing and the Whites fail to secure promotion. Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT:
“I think that from Gnonto’s point of view, he would be the same as well [wanting to see what the future at Leeds holds]. Leaving mid-season to a Premier League club, even though Everton, whom he was most strongly linked with, have made a very positive start to the season, you don’t know where you will be at the end of the campaign.
“You also don’t know where Leeds will be at the end of the season. Gnonto didn’t want to move to Everton because he hated it at Leeds. It was because he wanted to play in the Premier League. So, if you move mid-season, who knows whether you’ll be in the Premier League at the end of the season if you move to a top-flight club? And if you stay at Leeds, you might be in the Premier League for the following season because they might get promoted. So, there are almost too many variables, both for Leeds and Gnonto, to be making any rash decisions on his future in January.
“If it got to the end of the season, and he was playing, then there’ll be no debate that he will stay at Leeds if they get promoted. If they don’t get promoted, it’s a different story.”
Wilfried Gnonto transfer news
According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, there had been a desire for Gnonto to sign a new contract at Leeds following the withdrawal of his transfer request to reaffirm his commitment to the club. However, Leeds’s hope has not been followed up, and negotiations with the Italians’ representatives have yet to begin.
According to TEAMtalk, Everton could rival Lazio and Roma for Gnonto’s signature during the winter transfer market. Sources close to the player indicate a move is possible, and the Toffees are still interested in the forward despite their inability to complete a move during the summer. Meanwhile, Gnonto is said to be open to a return to Italy, though a £25m outlay from Jose Mourinho’s Roma outfit is unlikely.
