Highlights
- Leeds United are set to hold discussions with Wilfried Gnonto regarding a new contract, indicating they want to secure his future at the club.
- Gnonto, despite being linked with a move away during the summer, is now “fully focused” on the season and ready to contribute to the team’s promotion campaign.
- Gnonto’s performances have demonstrated his value, with five goals and four assists in 32 appearances, making him a major threat to opposing defenses.
Leeds United are set to hold in-house discussions with one of their first-team players regarding a new contract, and a fresh report has revealed his stance on his immediate future at Elland Road.
How have Leeds United started the season?
The Whites and Daniel Farke have had a mixed start to the new campaign, taking just six points from a possible 15 after securing only one win, three draws and suffering a single defeat, as per the official website of Sky Sports.
The Yorkshire outfit have been limited in their options considering the significant number of injuries to the likes of Stuart Dallas, Liam Cooper and Patrick Bamford, but there is another member of the squad who has been missing, not with a problem, more so for disciplinary reasons following a window of uncertainty.
Over the summer, Wilfried Gnonto was heavily linked with a move to Everton having agreed personal terms to join Sean Dyche’s side, not to mention that he was refusing to play for the club having handed in a transfer request to leave, as per Fabrizio Romano, meaning that his relationship with the hierarchy at the time was completely broken.
Italy’s international even re-opened talks with the Merseyside outfit on deadline day to try and force through a move for the second time, but with a deal failing to come to fruition before 11pm on September 1st, the left-winger ended up remaining in the Championship.
Is Wilfried Gnonto signing a new contract at Leeds?
According to Football Insider, however, Leeds are now “planning talks” with Gnonto to get clarity on his future at the club, and chiefs are hoping to enter negotiations over a new contract.
The Whites attacker is believed to be “fully focused” on the remainder of the season despite his summer of uncertainty, where he is likely to have a significant part to play in helping the side bounce back up to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
How much did Wilfried Gnonto cost?
As per The Daily Mail, Gnonto joined Leeds from FC Zurich for a reported £3.8m last summer, and during his time at Elland Road, he’s more than proved why he is worth that, alongside the fact that he could bring in a hefty sum should he ever depart in the near future.
Sponsored by Puma, the 19-year-old has racked up nine contributions (five goals and four assists) in 32 senior appearances for Farke, but even if the ball doesn’t always hit the back of the net, he continues to pose a major threat to the opposition’s defence in the final third.
The Verbania native, who pockets £20k-per-week, has recorded nine shots so far this season which is the joint second-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef, as well as averaging four dribbles per game in the second-tier, showing his ability to use his pace to take on his marker.
The LS11 “diamond”, as hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, so he would be a great option for the boss to keep in the building for the foreseeable.
