Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has called on the PFA to step in and address Willy Gnonto’s refusal to play for Leeds United.
Gnonto has refused to feature in Leeds’ last two games with the Italian trying to force through a move away from Elland Road.
Everton are interested in the 19-year-old and have already had an offer in the region of £15 million turned down, with Leeds insisting Gnonto is not for sale.
It comes following the Whites’ relegation from the Premier League last season, which has seen a mass exodus of players from the club as they search for top-flight football.
Many of those players who have departed have left on loan or at cut fees due to relegation clauses in their contracts, something that Gnonto doesn’t have.
Having arrived 12 months ago for just £5 million from FC Zurich, Italian international Gnonto quickly became a fan favourite for the West Yorkshire club and initially put in a number of top-drawer performance.
But his relationship with the club and its fans is now in tatters following his refusal to play, and Talksport pundit Jordan says Gnonto should be reprimanded for his behaviour.
“A player signs a contract for two reasons. One, because it preserves their livelihood, the other, because it preserves the club’s position to either hold the player to a contract or subsequently sell him.
“Often you get into a situation where one party, and often it’s the player, can’t get what he wants, in this case it is Gnonto.
“It is really poor. The PFA should be on the front foot saying it’s poor, that one of their members, because he doesn’t get what he wants, can suggest that he’s not in the right frame of mind to play.”
Jordan went in further on Gnonto, suggesting he should wake up and recognise he is getting a good salary to play for one of the biggest clubs in England.
“I mean, God forbid that he ever actually has any real adversity in his life.
“Because it’s such a terrible thing that he is having to stay at a massive football club like Leeds and pick up a really decent salary.
“What kind of characters are these people? Pull on the shirt, get on with it. Have some substance.”
Spot on, Simon!
When Gnonto signed a contract until 2027 he committed his future to the club, and the only way he doesn’t see the end of that contract is if Leeds see it fit to sell him – which they don’t currently!
Player power is out of hand in modern football and the selfishness Gnonto is showing is harming his own reputation more than anything.
Sure the lad has talent, but there is a reason a club hasn’t come in with an ‘out of this world’ offer and it’s because he’s hit and miss as the end of last season proved!
Leeds won’t sell unless it’s big money, we don’t have to! If Willy wants to keep getting called up for the Italian national team then someone needs to tell him that playing no football at all makes that impossible.
There is no way back for Gnonto at Elland Road, but the board should only let him leave for the right price – upwards of £25 million!
Not often I agree with Jordan, In fact very rarely. But here he is bang on