“Strange” – Leeds United fan pundit pinpoints Anthony Gordon example as Everton transfer approach brushed off

Leeds United have rejected a £15m bid from Everton for Willy Gnonto, indicating that they intend to keep the player this summer.

Gnonto is a young and talented forward who has attracted interest from top-flight clubs, including Aston Villa, AC Milan, Fiorentina, Inter Milan, and Juventus.

The valuation of Gnonto has skyrocketed since he joined Leeds for around £3.8m last summer, and it is estimated that Leeds would require a bid closer to £25m to consider selling him.

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds United have knocked back a bid from Everton for Willy Gnonto, with the The Daily Mail revealing that a £15m offer was lodged for the Italian international.

Phil Hay of The Athletic has revealed that Gnonto is one of the players that the club’s hierarchy are intent on keeping this summer.

Relegation from the Premier League was always going to have lasting repercussions on the playing squad and could potentially dismantle it to a large degree, which has included calling into question the future of their young star.

The Whites have already seen Tyler Roberts, Alfie McCalmont, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente, Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Rodrigo, and Marc Roca all depart the club so far during the transfer window, as well as Adam Forshaw and Joel Robles upon the expiry of their contracts.

What’s the latest with Willy Gnonto?

Gnonto is currently still a Leeds player and was back in training this week following Nations League and U-21 European Championships involvement in Italy squads delaying his return to training at Thorp Arch.

The 19-year-old forward signed for Leeds on transfer deadline day last summer, arriving from Swiss side FC Zurich for a fee of around £3.8million, as reported by The Daily Mail.

His impressive performances have caught the attention of top-flight clubs, with Everton said to be the most keen on taking Gnonto’s services, but Aston Villa are also said to be keen on the versatile forward, who can play as a striker, a secondary-striker, or out wide as an out-and-out winger.

Other interest comes in the form of AC Milan and Fiorentina, via Calcio Mercato,who claim the pair are said to be eyeing up deals for the 19-year-old attacker.

La Gazzetta dello Sport have detailed two further Italian giants in the form of Inter Milan and Juventus have both enquired over the availability of Gnonto.

He is a full Italian international but is still a raw and unrefined talent in some ways, despite picking up four goals and four assists from 28 appearances during his first season at a higher level than the Swiss top-flight.

Gnonto managed only 14 starts for Leeds in the Premier League as well and is still need of further development before he becomes a regular starter for an elite side.

The 19-year-old forward signed for the Whites from Swiss side FC Zurich on transfer deadline day last summer for a fee of around £3.8million, as reported by The Daily Mail but his valuation by Leeds has sky-rocketed since then.

FLW’s Leeds United fan pundit Kris Smith believes any deal for the 19-year-old would require a much larger fee from Everton, which they would struggle to afford, he said: “Given how quickly it’s been rejected, £15 million has seemingly been laughed off by Leeds, and you have to call into question the logic of such a bid really.

“Anthony Gordon left Everton for around £45 million and I don’t even think Everton fans would tell you Gordon’s definitely a better player than Gnonto – not least, three times the value of him.

“It’s a strange one with Gnonto because I could see him staying and we’re not under any pressure to sell, but I wouldn’t then begrudge him leaving to a top-flight club because he is that good.

“A move to Everton doesn’t really seem to add up, though, if he is to go to a Premier League club. They don’t look like they have the funds to give us an offer worth considering.

“Gnonto, then, would go there and be right back in a relegation battle after going down with us, and Everton aren’t getting the finished article of a signing. They would be getting a 19-year-old who doesn’t drastically improve their side, when they need someone to, especially for the amount of money that Gnonto’s going to cost them.”

How much is Willy Gnonto worth to Leeds?

As Kris alludes to, £15 million seems like a derisory bid, and it will surely be closer to £25 million to pry him from Leeds’ hands.

Had the Whites stayed up, and had an even stronger hand in negotiations, they could have been looking for north of £30 million.