£47m Everton duo attract summer transfer interest as Saudi Arabia linked

Willy Gnonto is “leaning towards” a Leeds United stay if no new offers come in for him as he is being advised Everton isn’t right for him this summer, according to Alex Crook.

The talkSPORT reporter told GIVEMESPORT (1 August) that the Toffees will struggle to get a “difficult” deal done before the close of the transfer window so, absent alternative exit options, the 19-year-old could remain at Elland Road improve his out put in the Championship, although he could still leave in January.

Everton have had a £15million bid rejected for the Italian attacker, and there have been widespread links within the Premier League and Serie A without concrete offers, although the new 49ers regime want Gnonto to stay.

Crook said: “Well I was told last week that his advisors don’t necessarily think this is the best move for him at this time. If no other offers came in, they’d be leaning towards doing a year in the Championship.

“I think he still has raw potential, and they feel that he can go to the Championship and improve his numbers in terms of goals and assists, and then he might have bigger options than Everton come January.

In the circumstances that is the best outcome that Leeds United can hope for and would come as a boost to Daniel Farke for the start of the new season.

The prospect of a January exit if he performs well over the opening months of the campaign is something that a Championship side potentially has to face with every player so is bridge that would be crossed when the Whites come to it.

More risky is the fact that the deadline is still four weeks away (1 September) and there are multiple games before that time for Gnonto to impress, as well as, crucially, for potential suitors to get edgy about their own current options.

It is difficult to ever rule anything out in the transfer market as deadline day approaches, and if a Champions League side were to put good money on the table before that time the Italy international will likely go.

Until Sean Dyche gets back under way at Goodison it won’t be known whether the Toffees are in for another relegation battle, but a side at the other end of the table is likely to be far more attractive to Gnonto and his advisors.

Having only brought in small loan fees and a few million from selling Rodrigo and Tyler Roberts this summer Farke is struggling to sign the players he needs, so it may take a big-money exit to free things up, and with Jack Harrison and Tyler Adams both injured it looks like Gnonto is the prime candidate.