Everton could now sell players in order to complete Willy Gnonto transfer from Leeds United with personal terms agreed
Everton aren’t “walking away from the deal” to sign Willy Gnonto from Leeds United and may need to sell players in order to get it done, according to Paul Brown.
The former Daily Star journalist told GIVEMESPORT (15 August) that the move could be completed at the tail end of the window as they have so far only offered “way below” the 19-year-old’s valuation at Elland Road, so sales to bring extra cash in might be necessary as the Toffees and the Italian international both seem intent.
Gnonto is currently not playing for Leeds as he tries to secure a move after agreeing personal terms while Everton have had multiple bids rejected so far, which have apparently now exceeded £15million [Mail, 14 August].
Brown said: “I don’t think Everton will be walking away from the deal. They clearly still want Gnonto and I think the bid they made earlier in the window was way below the Leeds valuation which is the problem here.
“I think they only offered around £15 million and it’s going to take a lot more than that to get him, but I’m not sure Everton have a lot more than that.
“So it may be a case of them trying to get players out for a decent fee to add any more to it but it seems pretty clear that Everton still want Gnonto and Gnonto still seems to want to go there.
“I wouldn’t discount this one happening before the end of the window. I think there’s still more to come on this story.”
Convinced
Sean Dyche must have a major plan up his sleeve for Gnonto this season if Everton are going through so much trouble to try to get him.
He has already landed Jack Harrison from Elland Road on loan, along with a similar deal for Arnaut Danjuma from Villarreal, and both play as wide attackers.
Gnonto has no release clause in his Leeds United contract so can’t be prized out with the relative ease that it took to get his English teammate, and it doesn’t seem like the Toffees have enough of a transfer budget right now to come up with an offer the Whites can’t refuse, especially when they need another striker more urgently.
So it surely will take sales to fund a major late push to bring him in, and even then it might be that Leeds feel so aggrieved by so many other players leaving this summer they refuse to budge on principle.
Demarai Gray looks set to leave, and Everton would prefer to sell Mason Holgate, but it is debatable whether either would generate enough cash.
There have been renewed late links between Manchester United and Amadou Onana [Guardian, 14 August], who certainly would, but whether he would be a worthwhile sacrifice is up for debate.
In other Everton news, the Premier League have been pushed into confusing action by complaints about the Toffees from rival clubs.