Willy Gnonto reps make contact with Everton over Leeds United transfer exit as Rodrigo and Jack Harrison also targeted
Willy Gnonto’s representatives have been in touch with Everton as the Italian is targeted for a transfer from Leeds United, Football Transfers reports.
The Toffees are interested in multiple Elland Road players and are hoping to push through a deal for forward Rodrigo in the face of lucrative interest from Saudi Arabia.
Football Transfers had previously reported “ongoing talks” between the two clubs over both Gnonto and Jack Harrison on 18 June, both of whom remain targets.
And now it has emerged that the teenager’s camp have also been in contact with Goodison, amid widespread interest in signing him this summer.
Gazzetta dello Sport reported on 27 June that the Whites want between €15million and €20million for Gnonto [£12.8m – £17.2m], but it appears that the club are still well in the race to sign him.
Everton have also been linked to Crysencio Summerville [Telegraph, 20 June] and Tyler Adams [Daily Mail, 19 June] amid a potential exodus from Elland Road.
Sales pitch
The Toffees certainly look to be trying to take advantage of coming out on top of Leeds in the relegation battle, adding insult to injury in that particular race.
With the West Yorkshire side’s drop into the Championship necessitating the departure of various players, with release clauses also allowing many to leave on loan of for cut-price fees [Daily Mail, 26 June], it could be the ideal opportunity for cash-strapped Everton.
How many the club can afford before or after making sales of their own remains to be seen, although Rodrigo isn’t thought to be expensive and would make a lot of sense up front.
With Demarai Gray “likely” to leave this summer there is yet more need to add in the wide areas, on top of the general requirement to source more attacking firepower at long last.
Gnonto was the breakout star at Leeds last season until he was bizarrely benched by Javi Gracia, and could provide the kind of spark that has been sorely lacking at Goodison Park in recent months.
He looks to have no shortage of options this summer, but the chance to possibly be a regular under Sean Dyche amid relatively little competition for attacking places might be attractive.
And with contact between the clubs and with the player’s camp already up and running it appears the Toffees are serious about this one if they can get it done.
In other Everton news, Chelsea are now looking at a bid for a first-team talent at Goodison Park ahead of Tottenham and Manchester City.