Everton transfer news as Wilfried Gnonto move collapses after four offers
Everton talks with Leeds United over a potential deal for star forward Wilfried Gnonto have collapsed, with the Toffees having made four offers for his services, according to the Daily Mail.
In the print edition of the newspaper [21 August, pg 61], it was shared that, despite the attacker handing in a formal transfer request at Elland Road, his club will refuse to sell him at any price as he is not for sale this summer.
It is shared that Leeds were aware of Gnonto’s intentions to hand in a transfer request before it arrived, having initially learned of the development via media reports, before it arrived shortly before their clash with West Brom.
Everton need to move on
Having made four unsuccessful offers for their primary target, Everton now need to move on to other options as it has been made very clear to them that, despite their best efforts and the player’s desire, Gnonto would not be allowed to leave Elland Road this summer.
It is unclear whether the club viewed the Leeds star as more of a winger or a striker, where he could play up front in a partnership with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, or as an attacking option out wide in place of Alex Iwobi.
Sean Dyche has been desperate to improve his attacking options this summer, having already landed a loan deal for Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma, who is in a similar vein to Gnonto, able to play up top or out wide.
Their lack of direct wide players was an issue against Aston Villa – although probably not the most pressing one from the 4-0 dismantling – and led to frustrations with creativity as Alex Iwobi and James Garner were once again used as makeshift wide men.
In other Everton news, one BBC pundit was stunned by one individual performance v Aston Villa.