"Sensible to me" - Leeds United claim made as £30m, Willy Gnonto talk bubbles away | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

There were plenty of rumours and speculation surrounding the future of Leeds United'sWilly Gnonto during the summer transfer window, but the club could still be open to selling the winger for the right fee during the summer transfer window, according to Football Insider.

The young forward was signed in an 11th hour deal for the Whites from Swiss side FC Zurich on transfer deadline day in the summer of 2022 for a fee of just £3.8million, according to The Daily Mail.

Although Gnonto didn't start regularly for the Whites last season, he was often an exciting option from the bench when given a chance to prove himself. The forward notched four goals and collected a further four assists from 28 games in his first season in the Premier League.

His involvement has not increased this season in the way many perhaps expected it to in the early stages. After starting the initial opening season fixtures, an ankle injury sustained by the 20-year-old then handed Dan James his chance to shine on the right flank, where his contributions in the final third made it difficult for Farke to justify dropping him for the Italian.

However, Gnonto could still be a crucial asset for the Whites between now and the end of the campaign, with Daniel Farke's side firmly in the automatic promotion mix despite disappointing recent results, and his role has become far more prominent.

James faces a spell on the sidelines injured, but Gnonto has contributed to nine goals (eight goals, one assist) in his last 15 outings in all competitions, having contributed to just two in the 24 games prior, largely in cameos off the bench.

Gnonto's transfer situation reaction

With the player still having three years remaining on his contract, Farke's side have the power to demand a high fee for him, irrespective of promotion this season.

Football Insider believes the Whites are open to cashing in on him for £20 million - £30 million, with an offer at the higher end of that range likely to be accepted. The same outlet believes he could attract interest from the Premier League this summer.

FLW’s Leeds United fan pundit Kris Smith spoke to us and gave his reaction to the news, he said: "If we're not promoted this season, then Gnonto looks like one of a handful that's pretty obvious, or makes the most sense, to sell.

"If it's close to £30 million, as has been reported, then that seems pretty sensible to me. Especially given that we rejected around £25 million in the previous summer.

"Whatever fee it is, it will represent good profit on the £4 million or so that we paid for him last summer in the Premier League. "However, I would like us to keep Gnonto, as he's proven so far in the league in 2024 that he is vital to our attack on the other side to Crysencio Summerville. "He's not only potent in front of goal but is incredibly versatile, and is actually an incredibly intelligent attacker as well, given his age. "Should we get promoted, I think he will stay put. That's obvious because he wants to be in the top-flight and we would be in the top-flight. "If we don't go up, then £30 million is a lot for a club like us to turn down, who have been relegated and stayed down a year.

As Smith alludes to, Gnonto can operate as a secondary-striker or attacking-midfielder, and that versatility could also be useful, as he has a broader skillset for many attacking roles than Leeds' other wide players.

The right-wing is not necessarily his best role, but the winger does damage wherever he is deployed. Gnonto is at his best as a left-sided attacker, cutting into the half spaces to get snapshots away at goal, or to combine quickly with Leeds' central players.

Next season, he could find himself in that role, should Summerville depart - who most would deem the likeliest of the pair to find himself a new club at a higher level. Another season of development with Leeds, irrespective of which division Leeds are in and where Gnonto would feature, feels like the best thing for him, even if a fee of close to £30 million would have to be considered.