Everton make £20m+ total bid for Leeds United winger Willy Gnonto
Everton have made a £20million+ bid for Leeds United winger Willy Gnonto, with a choice to be made for Gnonto between joining the Merseyside club or Aston Villa should he leave, according to Sport Mediaset.
According to the report on 17 July, Everton's bid for Gnonto consists of an offer for £15.4million plus £5.1million bonuses, which would then be followed by a bonus of £8.6million paid to the player over the course of five seasons. It is shared that Aston Villa will have to eclipse Everton's bid if they wish to win the race.
It was however revealed in The Athletic [17 July] by reliable Leeds journalist Phil Hay, that sources deny any formal offer has been made by Everton for Gnonto, although there is no denying the club's interest in signing him, and also states that they believe an approach was quickly rejected.
Everton should go all out for Gnonto
Gnoto is the type of player that can make a real difference to a side, not just through his performances in terms of goalscoring and creating, but simply through his style of play. An exciting, quick-footed attacking player is one who can lift the mood in a stadium every time he touches the ball.
The benefit to the Goodison faithful would be enough alone to sanction this deal, as the atmosphere surrounding the club has felt fairly toxic for a while. A player like Gnonto can make fans enjoy watching their team again.
From an actual footballing perspective though, this deal still makes plenty of sense. Everton are struggling for wingers at the moment, with Dwight McNeil and Demarai Gray the only recognised wide players at the club.
Gnonto is still only 19 years old - hard to believe given his displays for Leeds last season - and could offer plenty of resale value for Everton, while he would contribute effectively in his time at Goodison Park. This type of deal is one Everton have not done enough of in recent years.
In other Everton news, the club now want to sign an 'outstanding' new striker.