Napoli and Juventus want to sign Leeds player, £30m twist now emerges in deal – report MOT Leeds News
Napoli and Juventus are also keen on securing the services of Leeds United midfielder Wilfried Gnonto this summer, according to 90Min.
The English media outlet reported on Friday (11 August), that the Whites want £30million in order to part ways with the 19-year-old Italy international.
They hoped to agree a loan deal with an option to buy but that does not seem likely, as things stand.
Keep him
The value mentioned above is a fair fee for a player of Gnonto’s calibre and despite not being a first-team regular last season, he proved his worth.
He was signed for an extremely low fee and the Whites have every right to make a decent profit from his sale this summer.
However, they would want to keep him as he will tear the Championship by storm and be an important player for them.
He’ll certainly be among the best wide attackers and could go on to have an impressive season for the club and get them back to the Championship.
Napoli and Juventus are both unlikely to have that kind of money to sign him which is why a loan deal perhaps suits them better.
That is not what will suit Leeds and the fact that he’s got no relegation clause allows them to be in the driver’s seat.
The Athletic journalist reacted on his personal Twitter account Friday night (11 August), moments after a statement from the club was released saying that Willy Gnonto would again be unavailable for the game against Birmingham City on Saturday, to suggest last year’s squad don’t want to deal with the consequences of last season.
The club’s statement communicated that the 19-year-old’s absence from the Carabao Cup game against Shrewsbury Town game on Wednesday came at his behest after he and his advisors were told he wouldn’t be sold this summer, and that with him now set to miss the Championship trip to St. Andrew’s for the same reason it had become a “disciplinary matter”.
Sour end
For much of last season Gnonto represented one of the few bright spots in the middle of a season that had very little to cheer about.
But he started the opening day draw with Cardiff City (6 August) as a makeshift striker with Daniel Farke contending with an injury crisis already.
But amid Everton leading the pursuit of the former FC Zurich player it appears the matter has rapidly deteriorated and already looks like it may be beyond salvage.
Unlike most of the first-team squad who underperformed last season Gnonto doesn’t have a relegation release clause so Leeds United can prevent him from leaving.
While none of those who quickly slipped out of the club on low-cost loans are especially popular among the club’s fanbase now, the current developments are now threatening to make him the poster boy for players failing upwards.
That may be harsh given he contributed a lot more in a positive sense than some who have already gone, but the club appear steadfast in not giving in here while the young attacker is now holding himself out of the squad.
