Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto has been dubbed the best player in the Championship at Elland Road.
Journalist Dean Jones says he expects prodigy Wilfired Gnonto to return to Elland Road as a regular, stating Leeds United has “something special up their sleeve” in the winger.
After the Whites were relegated from the top division on the final day of the 2022–2023 season, head coach Daniel Farke was given the responsibility of leading the team to an instant return to the Premier League.
Leeds is presently in the play-offs as they attempt to get closer to the top two spots in the league. Leeds participated in the promotion race during the 2023–2024 season. Gnonto’s season at Elland Road hasn’t gone well, but he might have been spurred into action after a recent performance against Plymouth Argyle in an FA Cup Fourth Round replay.
Gnonto’s troubled season at Leeds
The winger attempted to force a move out of Leeds and back to the Premier League, which did not go well for Gnonto’s season. The 20-year-old was given a £25 million price tag by the Whites in August 2023, when Everton expressed interest in signing him.
Later that month, Gnonto refused to play in a Championship doubleheader against Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion as well as a Carabao Cup match against Shrewsbury Town, submitting a transfer request to force a move to Everton. After Everton’s four bids for the Italy international were turned down, he was compelled to issue an apology and would resume training at the end of the month.
Though it hasn’t always worked out that way, Gnonto could have used that irritation as motivation for his performances in the second tier. He hasn’t developed into the regular he would have thought he would be under Farke, and he has mostly played the season as a substitute, shadowing Crysencio Summerville.
Fabrizio Romano, a transfer analyst, interestingly revealed to GIVEMESPORT on January 30 that Gnonto is close to reaching an agreement on a new contract at Leeds. Jones, in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, urged the former FC Zurich player to ‘appeal’ to West Ham United, although the player was not the focus of interest during the 2024 winter transfer window. He wants to lead the team to promotion and reclaim his spot in the lineup.
Gnonto hopes that his goal on February 6th, against Plymouth Argyle, in an FA Cup Fourth Round replay, will be the beginning of a run of form that elevates him to the status of one of the second tier’s most notable players.
Dean Jones – Gnonto will ‘become a regular starter again’ at Leeds
Jones, who called Gnonto the best player in the Championship when he was playing at his best, has backed Gnonto to return as a regular starter. Leeds, according to the journalist, have “something special up their sleeve” in Italian. Smith stated to GIVEMESPORT:
“Gnonto will resume his role as a consistent starter. His season has been a bit of a rollercoaster. But his best self will show once he smiles once more. Leeds supporters are making an effort to be patient with him. He’s been offered opportunities. It goes without saying that they would have occasionally questioned his desire to be there and his commitment to them. To Gnonto’s credit, though, I believe he has only been attempting to ensure that he is pursuing the ideal professional route for him.
“This season, he isn’t getting nearly as much game time as he would have preferred. He is, nevertheless, arguably this division’s top player on his best day. Leeds will therefore be using something special in these final few months.S
