Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto signed a contract extension till 2028 over the weekend. Paul Robinson believes the youngster owes his improvement over the past year to head coach Daniel Farke.
The Italian has enjoyed a successful stay at Leeds United so far after arriving at the club in 2022. He has gone on to make over 63 appearances for the club and even established himself as a regular in the Italian national team. Gnonto made history as he became the youngest scorer for Italy, after scoring against Germany in a UEFA Nations League qualifier at 18-years-old.
The 20-year old put pen to paper on a new four year deal to stay at Elland Road.
Wilfried Gnonto proves his loyalty to the club
When Leeds United were relegated to the championship, a whole host of players departed the club before Daniel Farke was appointed. During that summer, Gnonto was linked with a move to Everton but he stayed at Elland Road.
He established himself as a key piece under Daniel Farke last season, often relied on as the catalyst off the bench to change games. The forward had eight goals and two assists in the Championship last season. Earlier this summer, Daniel Farke praised him and said he would be a key figure in the team this season:
“We’ve worked a lot with Willy in recent months,” “We want him to be more flexible in his movements, so he covers different positions and isn’t too static.
“We work a lot with him individually and show him different scenes. He was, at times, unplayable. He’s still a young player and can be a bit smarter to handle some situations on the pitch. A step forward from him but one we expect from a player of his calibre.”
Paul Robinson delighted to see youngster stay at Elland Road
Former Leeds keeper Paul Robinson was delighted with Wilfried Gnonto extending his stay at Elland Road. The pundit believes Daniel Farke was a big reason why the youngster decided to commit to a new deal:
“It’s hugely important for the club. I think it’s important for the club to protect their own assets, too. He had a huge turnaround last season after saying he wouldn’t play in pre-season.” Robinson said speaking to MOT Leeds News.
“The manager’s man-management of the player has got the best out of him between then and the end of the season, getting him back to playing. Within 12 months, to get him to sign a new contract shows how good the player’s relationship is with Farke.
Now, he’s starting every game and playing well. He looks in a really good place, so I’m not surprised they’ve given him a new contract. From the player’s point of view, it’s a reward for him knuckling down, getting his head around the situation, and taking on the challenge.”
