Everton want former Leicester City loanee Tete amid transfer update on Sean Dyche target Willy Gnonto from Leeds United
Willy Gnonto and his advisors are “not completely sold” on a move to Everton and the club are now considering alternatives, talkSPORT reports.
The Leeds United teenager may now stay at Elland Road if he doesn’t get the right offer to leave, with ex-Leicester loanee Tete on the list of targets who could be signed instead.
The 23-year-old Shahktar Donestk winger was linked in the January transfer window [Alex Crook], before moving to the King Power, and is now back in the Toffees’ sights if ongoing talks with Gnonto are unsuccessful.
According to talkSPORT (27 July): “Gnonto is high on Everton boss Sean Dyche’s list of summer targets.
“However, talkSPORT understands Gnonto, 19, and his advisers are not completely sold on the idea of a move to Goodison Park, and that the Italian could consider staying at Elland Road depending on what other offers he receives.
“While dialogue remains open, Everton have already started drawing up a list of potential alternatives to Italian international Gnonto.”
Strain
Everton have been prominent in the race to sign Gnonto despite an unwillingness at Leeds United to part with the Italy international.
A £15million bid was unsuccessful [Daily Mail, 16 July], and the fact that he doesn’t have the same release clause in his contract that many of his teammates have already utilised means the ball is essentially in the Whites’ court.
Convincing them to part with their young attacking star looks like it will be difficult enough without a major bid on the table, which seems tricky if Everton have designs on signing a striker with whatever money that this available, after missing out on El Bilal Touré.
So if Gnonto himself isn’t convinced it might tip the balance into a race that is unfeasible in the time remaining before 1 September.
It would go down as yet another disappointment, but the fact that alternatives are already being considered should be seen as a positive since there is no time to waste.
Tete made 14 appearances for Leicester and scored one goal, after spending the first half of the season with Lyon where he scored six goals and laid on five assists in 19 total appearances.
He had been with the French side for part of the campaign before as well, with Shahktar badly affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, so it appears likely he will be available again.
Another loan would get a further attacker through the doors on top of Arnaut Danjuma’s and leave cash available for a striker which, despite Gnonto’s quality, might prove to be a more sensible outcome at this stage.
In other Everton news, a transfer impact has been mooted for Kevin Thelwell amid this week’s latest update on the MSP Sports Capital investment deal.