Wilfried Gnonto issues 14-word Leeds United farewell message

Wilfried Gnonto finally brought an end to months of uncertainty over his Leeds United future by joining Fiorentina on loan on deadline day.

The Italian winger had fallen down the pecking order at Leeds last season, featuring largely as a bit-part player during their Premier League campaign. With regular first-team football a priority for him, a summer exit always looked increasingly likely.

Even so, the move to Fiorentina was far from certain as deadline day approached. Leeds were prepared to block the deal if they could not bring in another player to fill the gap left by Gnonto.

That condition was eventually met when the Whites brought in Jean-Matteo Bahoya on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, allowing Gnonto to complete his switch to Fiorentina before the window closed.

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Wilfried Gnonto sends farewell message to Leeds United fans

The Italian winger is looking to kickstart his career at Fiorentina, who also have an option to buy him for a deal worth £18m, and Leeds hope that the loan will become a permanent sale next year.

Gnonto fell out of favour at Leeds last season, and the arrival of Harry Wilson early in the summer almost certainly pushed him further out of Farke’s plans.

However, the player has penned a short but heartfelt farewell to Leeds and their fans and wants them to succeed this season without him.

He stressed that Leeds will always be in his heart, indicating that he does not plan to return next year.

He posted a photo on Instagram and wrote: “Wishing everyone at Leeds United an amazing season.

“I’ll always be one of you.”

 

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A post shared by Wilfried Gnonto (@willy.gnonto)

Gnonto has his work cut out at Fiorentina

The £18m clause gives Leeds a clear route to a permanent sale, with Fiorentina able to sign Gnonto outright once his loan ends. From the Whites’ perspective, that would be the ideal outcome, particularly after a summer in which they were keen to move the winger on.

But getting Fiorentina to spend £18m could be easier said than done. Italian clubs simply do not operate with the same financial muscle as Premier League sides, so that kind of fee would represent a considerable commitment.

Much will depend on what Gnonto produces in Florence. If he becomes a key player and delivers consistently, Fiorentina may decide the investment makes sense. If not, they could easily walk away from the deal.

Even if Gnonto has a successful season, Leeds should not assume Fiorentina will automatically pay the full £18m. They could well return to the negotiating table next summer and try to agree a lower figure.