Leeds now 'closer' to sealing new Wilfried Gnonto contract agreement | OneFootball

Leeds United’s ability to tie down winger Wilfried Gnonto to a new contract would be “fantastic news” at Elland Road, as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano exclusively tells GIVEMESPORT that a new deal is “getting closer.”

The Whites haven’t been particularly busy on the incomings front during the 2024 winter transfer window as head coach Daniel Farke aims to keep his best players around the squad.

Leeds are looking to secure their immediate return to the Premier League, having been relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2022/23 season. They are well in the race to secure an automatic promotion spot. Gnonto hasn’t become the key player he may have hoped he would be following the Yorkshire outfit’s descent into the second tier, but he has still proved a valuable option for Farke.

Gnonto has had an interesting 2023/24 season at Leeds, having looked set for a departure from Elland Road during the 2023 summer transfer window.

In August 2023, the winger handed in a transfer request, looking to force through a move to Everton after the Premier League outfit had multiple bids rejected for his services. Gnonto had requested to be withdrawn from the Leeds squad for a Carabao Cup fixture with Shrewsbury Town and Championship clashes with West Midlands duo Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion.

The Toffees had bid up to £25m to lure Gnonto to Goodison Park, but Leeds stood firm and withheld offers from the Merseyside outfit. Later that month, the 20-year-old apologised for refusing to play for the club during the transfer saga. However, the Italy international remained at Leeds beyond the summer transfer window, involved in Farke’s squad, looking to return to the Premier League immediately.

In December 2023, transfer insider Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT that Gnonto could tempt Premier League clubs despite not being in Farke’s regular starting lineup at Elland Road. That comes after rumours of Serie A interest in the winger, with Lazio and Roma considering moves for the £25m-rated star.

Despite his lack of starts, The Athletic have revealed that Gnonto is close to signing a new deal at Elland Road. The Whites may hope that fresh terms will kickstart the wide man’s 2023/24 season and help produce performances that could force him into Farke’s regular lineup.

Alternatively, a new contract could wade off new suitors, with Romano recently telling GIVEMESPORT (23rd January) that Gnonto had attracted ‘some interest’ although no moves elsewhere were imminent. Gnonto will be sweating over his form and state of play and hoping to improve his performances to secure his place in Italy’s EURO 2024 squad in Germany this summer.

Fabrizio Romano - Leeds are prioritising Gnonto contract extension

Romano claims that Leeds’ priority is to extend Gnonto’s contract, which is ‘getting closer’ to completion. The Italian reporter hints that the Whites hope a deal can be reached within ‘the next hours or days.’ Romano told GIVEMESPORT on Tuesday afternoon:

Leeds have yet to make a first-team signing during the 2024 winter transfer window and now only have a few days to do so as they look to bolster Farke’s squad. The Whites have already seen Djed Spence and Luke Ayling leave the club in January, hinting that a full-back could be the order of the day at Elland Road.

Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT (29th January) that Leeds are prioritising the addition of a new defender in the transfer window’s final hours. The transfer insider claims that the Whites are considering Ben Godfrey's situation at Everton but admits that they may face a challenge to sign the Toffees man, given the reported competition from AC Milan. However, the prospect of regular playing time could entice the full-back, who would be thrown into the heat of a Championship promotion race.

Leeds return to action on 2nd February when they travel to Bristol City. They aim to close the gap on Leicester City and Ipswich Town, the current second-tier occupants of the automatic promotion spots. The Whites then travel south to take on Plymouth Argyle in an FA Cup fourth-round replay. The tie winners will travel to the victors of Chelsea v Aston Villa in the last 16 of the competition.