Leeds United reveal shows how far controversial star’s influence has dropped | OneFootball

Leeds United reveal shows how far controversial star’s influence has dropped | OneFootball

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·2 December 2023

Leeds United reveal shows how far controversial star’s influence has dropped

Article image:Leeds United reveal shows how far controversial star’s influence has dropped

Highlights

  • Crysencio Summerville leads in goal contributions with 13, while Wilfried Gnonto has only contributed 2 goals and assists in the league.
  • Leeds turned down a £25 million bid for Gnonto in the summer, but his lack of impact this season raises doubts about his future.
  • Lazio is rumored to be interested in a loan move with an option to buy for €15 million, highlighting Gnonto's fallen stock.

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Leeds United posted an image on social media this week that proved quite revealing regarding the team’s most important attacking players.


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The image looked at the team’s biggest goal contributors, in terms of goals and assists, in the league so far this campaign.

Despite spending all of the summer doing everything to hold onto Wilfried Gnonto, including reportedly turning down a bid worth £25 million from Everton for the Italian, his impact in front of goal has been minimal.

Crysencio Summerville leads the way with an impressive tally of 13, seven goals and six assists.

Both wingers were the subject of intense transfer speculation last summer, which led to them being kept out of training as a result of the uncertainty over their future.

However, only Summerville has come back into the squad and performed at the standard expected of potentially Premier League calibre players.

Gnonto’s numbers, in comparison, highlight just how little impact he’s had on Daniel Farke’s side in the second division.

The 20-year-old has one goal and one assist to his name in the league, for a total of two goal contributions.

That is the same amount as Luke Ayling and Sam Byram from full-back, as well as midfielder Glen Kamara.

Joel Piroe, eight, Daniel James, nine, and Georginio Rutter, 11, are all far ahead of the talented young winger.

Leeds turned down a lot of money to keep Gnonto at Elland Road beyond last summer.

The Whites’ hierarchy must have been hoping that he could prove to be a key player in the side in their bid to gain promotion straight back to the Premier League.

But that hasn't happened - in part due to the form of the other attackers in the squad - and there is yet more uncertainty surrounding his future.

It’s been claimed that Lazio are eyeing a €15 million (£12.8 million) loan move with an option to buy offer in the January window.

Though it is unclear whether the Whites would accept such a fee, the report does highlight how much his stock has fallen in just six months.

How much is Wilfried Gnonto worth?

Gnonto was one of the team’s most promising talents in the previous campaign, contributing towards six goals in the Premier League from 24 appearances.

He was a standout figure, earning praise for his performances out wide as he caused defenders havoc with his speed and technical quality.

This is why Leeds saw fit to value him in excess of the £25 million they were offered by the Toffees and were steadfast in their belief he was worth keeping beyond any transfer offer.

Given he is still just 20, you do feel as though the Italy international is worth at least £20 million-plus.

His lack of progress this season will be massively frustrating, especially given Summerville has only gone from strength to strength since failing to secure a move away from Leeds last summer.

If Farke’s side is going to overturn the gap to second place Ipswich Town, then they may need Gnonto to get his head back in the game and start contributing.

The forward needs to be making a bigger impact in the final third if he is to ever play at the level he feels he should be.

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