Everton submit bid to sign Willy Gnonto, Leeds United respond as big-money fee tabled
Leeds United have rejected an opening bid by Everton for star forward Willy Gnonto, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper reported via their website on Sunday morning (16 July) that the Toffees had offered £15million for the 19-year-old Italy international.
However, it is understood that despite a spate of exits from Elland Road so far this summer, Leeds have no intention of selling Gnonto.
The Daily Mail adds that it remains to be seen if Everton will make a renewed approach for the former FC Zurich and Inter Milan sensation due to their “limited” summer transfer budget.
Leeds were relegated from the Premier League last season but there’s no release clause in Gnonto’s contract in West Yorkshire.
Try again
Everton will do brilliantly to sign Gnonto this summer.
Leeds have every right to ask for a lot of money for the Italy international because he was one of their best players last season, plus he’s only 19 and has another four years left to run on his contract at Elland Road.
We’ll need to a lot better, it seems, to twist their arm into selling the Italian sensation.
As per Football Insider on 15 February, coaches at Leeds have been blown away by Gnonto’s development.
It is understood that the staff at Leeds have regularly called him “phenomenal”.
Gnonto is a game-changer.
He’s fast, he’s direct, he’s aggressive, he can score goals and he can assist them, too.
Lastr season, after joining Leeds from Zurich for £4million, Gnonto scored four goals and supplied four assists in 28 total appearances
In the Premier League, he played 24 times but was shockingly under-used by Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce at the back end of the season, meaning he only started 14 games.
Roberto Mancini also sees value in Gnonto, having played the teenager 12 times for the Italy senior team.
This young lad is going places so if we have more funds to spare, they should definitely be offered up.
In other Everton news, the Blues have also made an approach to sign this 22-goal forward.