Two Serie A clubs are circling a young Leeds United standout as they look to lure him to a top-flight league this January transfer window. With The Whites looking for their promotion, they’ll be in a tough fight to hold onto the player.
Willy Gnonto came up through Inter Milan’s youth system, so he is familiar with playing in Italy. However, he had to leave his boyhood club and country in search of first-team minutes.
Gnonto joined FC Zürich in 2020 and would crack the first team there, making 74 appearances across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and registering 10 assists.
He left the Swiss side in 2022 and since joining Leeds, Gnonto has made 77 total appearances, scoring 14 goals and registering seven assists. It’s this production outside of Italy that now has a couple of Italian clubs keen on the player.
A return to Italy for Willy Gnonto?
According to Milan Live, newly promoted Parma are eyeing the 20-year-old because they still need reinforcements on the wings, considering the coach’s playing style. Moreover, Genoa is the other Serie A side keen on Gnonto. The report notes that without Mateo Retegui and Albert Guðmundsson, Genoa’s attack would not have been particularly impressive.
An addition like Gnonto, an atypical winger capable of also playing as a second striker in support of Andrea Pinamonti, could solve many of Alberto Gilardino’s problems and potentially become a crucial factor in avoiding relegation.
This season, Gnonto could have more opportunity to shine as Leeds need players to step up in the attack with key departures this past summer. The forward already has one goal in four matches to start this campaign.
If the youngster has standout performances to end 2024, these two clubs and potentially other Italian clubs could come calling for the winger. Leeds have leverage with the player under contract until 2028, but could a Serie A side make an offer for the player that the English side can’t refuse?
Transfermarkt puts the player’s transfer value at €16 million, but the asking price could be more than that since Leeds would be in a push for promotion.
