Leeds United: £40m+ Gnonto transfer development amid Aston Villa news

Leeds United want a minimum of £40million for their young winger Willy Gnonto this summer, according to The Guardian Australia.

The newspaper reports that Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Everton are both monitoring the 19-year-old attacker.

Gnonto joined Leeds from Swiss club FC Zurich last summer, with the teenager registering four goals and four assists from his 28 matches for the Whites so far.

“Leeds’s descent into the Championship has made Wilfried Gnonto increasingly sought after,” according to The Guardian Australia (page 50, 7 July).

“Aston Villa and Everton are sniffing around the 19-year-old Italian forward, although Leeds would want a minimum of £40million for him.”

Big ask

There is no doubting Gnonto’s talent, and of course his potential to get better in the coming years, particularly if he is playing for a top Premier League club.

But £40million is a big ask to spend on such a young player who failed to break into the Leeds first team in the latter stages of the most recent campaign.

He burst onto the scene upon his arrival at Elland Road, with his pace, trickery and direct running causing headaches for many top defenders.

But the exciting performances slowly died down, with Gnonto failing to have any impact as Leeds dropped down to the Championship.

The Whites will be keen to make as much money as possible from the youngster’s sale, but it seems highly unlikely that cash-strapped Everton will fork out £40million for the teenager this summer.

That leaves Aston Villa as the more likely option, but they are perhaps eyeing more established talent as they head for Europe next season.

In other Leeds United news, Simon Jordan has shared a Whites promotion verdict live on talkSPORT after the appointment of Daniel Farke.