Leeds: Wilfried Gnonto could perform big U-turn over future at Elland Road

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·25 September 2023

Leeds: Wilfried Gnonto could perform big U-turn over future at Elland Road

Highlights

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke may have a better chance of keeping Wilfried Gnonto if the club secures promotion to the Premier League.
Gnonto's transfer request was rejected in the summer, but he may still leave if Leeds remains in the Championship next season.
The Italian's injury will hinder his progression in the England second tier, but if he recovers quickly, he could help Leeds in their quest for promotion.

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Leeds United boss Daniel Farke could be handed a boost in keeping hold of prized winger Wilfried Gnonto, though the German's efforts may rely on one condition, journalist Ben Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT in an interview.

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The Yorkshire-based club played hard to get in the summer transfer window and stood firm on their stance that Gnonto was strictly not for sale.

It has become a reoccurring issue at Elland Road that their recruitment has not up to scratch which you can understand has become relatively problematic over the years. But ensuring Gnonto didn’t leave over the summer was their most promising bit of business, despite it nearly ending terribly.

The gifted Italian was subject to a flurry of bids from Premier League outfit Everton. All of which were rejected, however, much to the disbelief of Gnonto and his representatives. Unhappy that he had been denied a move away from Leeds, the forward handed in a transfer request, per Sky Sports, which was, once again, snubbed. Presenter Joe Wainman, while speaking to GIVEMESPORT, commended Farke's handling of the situation, claiming that Leeds are lucky to have a top manager, media operator and coach.

As a result of the drama, Gnonto was omitted from the matchday squad on two occasions in mid-August. Once the window slammed shut, the 13-cap Italy international has regained his position in the squad and netted once in five domestic appearances, per Transfermarkt.

Unfortunately for those of a Leeds persuasion, Gnonto suffered a knock in their goalless draw against Hull City, which then ruled him out of their emphatic 3-0 triumph over Watford. When asked about the seriousness of his injury, Leeds chief Farke said…

“Sadly bad news with him because he has done his lateral ankle ligament. We’ll wait for the assessment this afternoon how long he will be out. But he will definitely not be available tomorrow.”

What has Ben Jacobs said about Leeds and Wilfried Gnonto?

On the current state of play, Jacobs believes that Farke and his entourage could be lucky enough to retain Gnonto’s services for the foreseeable future as long as promotion back to the Premier League is secured this campaign. The journalist fears that he will demand that his move away to be sanctioned should Leeds fail in their pursuit of a first-time bounce back to the English topflight.

“What we’ll have to do is wait and see whether, at the end of the season, there’s a change in Leeds’ position. And that will obviously be circumstantial, so it’s far too early to say because next summer, if Leeds are back in the Premier League, then Wilfried Gnonto may just want to stay. The other thing in all of this is obviously whether, at any point going forwards, improved terms that are offered to Gnonto. Sometimes when a player stays at a club, but was about to leave, or wanted to leave anyway, you sort of almost get a peacemaker contract offered. We saw it with Moises Caicedo, even though he eventually left, and that contract really doesn’t mean much. “Because from the players side, they would obviously try and put a clause in there that still allows them to leave in some capacity. For example, if Leeds didn’t get back up to the Premier League. But if everything goes according to plan, that kind of thing can obviously keep the player happy and on better terms as well. “So my sense of the situation is that it’s blown over and that Gnonto respects Leeds’ position and that nothing will be sanctioned mid-season. And then obviously, by the summer, it will all simply depend on whether Leeds go up of stay in the Championship. If they stay in the Championship, I think they’ll let Gnonto leave. But if they go back up into the Premier League, he may not want to leave and like I said before, if Everton is still the primary suitor, we also have to understand where they are to.”

Will Leeds United secure promotion at the first time of asking?

Leeds United’s plummet to the Championship came off the back of a relegation-worthy season, though they have struggled to find their feet in the country’s second tier thus far. That being said, only eight games from a 42-game season have been played. Having lost a host of regular first team assets over the summer, it was clear that Farke and Co. had a mountainous task on their hands.

Having only lost one game since the campaign got underway, it is the dropped points against Cardiff City, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield Wednesday that attribute to their below-par beginning to 2023/24. A seven-goal thriller against a high-flying Ipswich Town, in which Leeds came out 4–3 victors, seemed to be the fixture to push their season on and put previous poor results behind them.

However, two goalless draws and two 3–0 wins have followed, and that quartet of results epitomises Leeds this term. Next up is the long away journey to Southampton, who were also relegated from the Premier League in 2022/23 as the pair battle it out for all three points.

The south coast outfit have not been defensively astute whatsoever during the early embers of the 2023/24 season and should Leeds be able to pounce on their frailties, it would send out a message to the rest of the division that an immediate return to the first tier is firmly on the agenda.