Leeds United are preparing for Saturday’s Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest, but there is still plenty going on behind the scenes as the club works to reshape the squad before the transfer window closes.
The Whites remain keen to strengthen several positions while also trying to move several players on.
Leeds have already agreed a deal to sign Nico Elvedi from Borussia Mönchengladbach, with the Swiss defender expected to complete his move in the coming hours.
At the same time, the club are stepping up their efforts to find new homes for other players. Several departures are expected as Leeds look to reduce the size of the squad, raise funds and create room for further additions.
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Key clause holding back the exit of Wilfried Gnonto
Leeds United are expected to finalise the departures of Joel Piroe, Lucas Perri and Sebastiaan Bornauw this week.
Perri is set to join Torino on loan with an option to buy, and Piroe will move to West Ham on loan, but the Hammers will have to buy him if they get promoted.
Leeds are also open to offers for Wilfried Gnonto, who is currently nursing a hamstring injury, and clubs such as Napoli, Roma, and Fiorentina have been keeping tabs on the winger this summer.
He is also a serious target for Freiburg, but sources speaking exclusively to The Leeds Press have confirmed that a key clause is delaying any move for him this summer.
Leeds only paid £4.5m for Gnonto in January 2023. However, it has been confirmed that the Whites agreed to pay a massive sell-on clause to get the Italian for a small fee.
The clause could be worth as much as 40 per cent, meaning Leeds may have to hand over a significant chunk of any fee they receive for the winger.
This is complicating his departure as Leeds want to earn a significant profit from his sale, but no club have yet to agree to meet their asking price of more than £15m.
Gnonto is nothing more than a squad player at Leeds
Daniel Farke’s tactical change midway through last season left Wilfried Gnonto in an awkward position, with the Italian no longer looking like a natural fit for the system Leeds United were using.
He continued to feature in cup competitions, but his role in the Premier League became increasingly limited. More often than not, Gnonto found himself coming off the bench rather than starting games.
Farke has always been reluctant to change a winning team, and once Leeds found their rhythm in the new system, Gnonto struggled to force his way back into the starting XI regularly.
There was plenty of interest in the winger during the January transfer window, but no deal materialised and he stayed at Elland Road. This summer, however, the situation looks very different, with a departure now becoming increasingly likely.
However, Gnonto’s recent injury and a massive sell-on clause are now major complicating factors for his Elland Road departure.
