Leeds United: Wilfried Gnonto, Everton transfer saga will now feel like a distant memory | OneFootball

Wilfried Gnonto has been forgiven by fans at Leeds United following his transfer tantrum - but perhaps he is now forgotten by Premier League clubs

Part of the reason transfer windows capture the imagination is the drama incurred by wantaway players.

Leeds United have been involved in plenty of transfer madness over the years, with Whites supporters likely to remember the time the club’s official Twitter asked for fans to stay up late on deadline day, only to announce two departures and no incomings.

In recent years though, Leeds’ biggest transfer saga followed relegation from the Premier League in the summer of 2023, with Wilfried Gnonto’s failed exit to Everton being one that was talked about not just in United circles, but in English football.

Wilfried Gnonto went from hero to zero with summer transfer window 2023 antics

Thanks to a previous director of football Victor Orta’s decision to include clauses in a host of players’ contracts, numerous members of the Leeds United playing staff were able to exit Elland Road on loan deals in 2023, and that led to a mass exodus.

Jack Harrison, Robin Koch, Rasmus Kristensen, Brenden Aaronson, Max Wober, Marc Roca, and Luis Sinisterra all left temporarily, whilst Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Tyler Roberts, Adam Forshaw, and Joel Robles all departed on a permanent basis.

With most of the first-team squad gone, Gnonto was promoted to star player status automatically after showing flashes of brilliance in the Premier League.

The Italian had made 24 appearances in the top flight of English football the year prior, grabbing two goals and four assists as Leeds failed to avoid the drop to the Championship.

At one point though, it appeared that fans would not get the chance to see the youngster in the second tier when Gnonto handed in a transfer request following a rejected bid from Everton.

That, combined with a refusal to play, saw Gnonto train away from the first team. Eventually the then-19-year-old apologised to Daniel Farke and returned to the starting line-up, but Everton were still keen to sign the former Inter Milan player before the deadline.

However, despite three bids in the build-up to the deadline, Everton failed to reach Leeds’ £30 million valuation – backing out of negotiations after bids worth up to a reported £25.7million.

At the time, Gnonto's reputation as an exciting prospect had exploded, but fast forward 18 months and the pint-sized Italian is now a far cry from being a player that could walk into a number of top flight's club's starting 11's.

Wilfried Gnonto's reputatuon has faltered since failed Everton move in 2023

The drama of Gnonto’s attempted departure has long been forgotten – and largely forgiven by the fanbase at Elland Road.

After being dropped for three games following a refusal to play amid his transfer request, Gnonto returned to the starting XI to score the first in Leeds’ 4-3 win away at Ipswich Town.

The Italian international then re-established himself as first choice on the right wing under Daniel Farke, quickly putting a tumultuous summer behind him with eight goals and three assists in 39 Championship appearances.

Gnonto was then again trusted more often than not to start games heading into the 2024/25 season, following Leeds’ disappointment underneath the Wembley arch in May’s play-off final.

But since the turn of the year, Gnonto has found himself often marooned on Leeds’ bench, with Welsh international Daniel James making the right-wing berth his own, with Manor Solomon on the left.

There could be no greater indicator of how Gnonto’s stock has fallen this season than his limited minutes in Leeds’ most recent match.

Gnonto was not trusted to start the Whites’ clash with fellow promotion hopefuls Sunderland, and when Leeds trailed 1-0 in the second-half, boss Farke did not turn to the attacker to turn the game around.

Instead, it was centre-back Pascal Struijk that came off the bench to score twice and win the game for Leeds.

Still only 21, Gnonto is very much one for the future. However, the hype surrounding the Italian has quietly faded away.

Gnonto has shown glimpses of his pedigree during Leeds’ stint in the Championship, but the winger has not dominated the division in the same way many would expect of a player valued at £30 million.

The forward’s attempt to leave in the summer of 2023 has long been forgotten, and has rarely been held against Gnonto by the Leeds fanbase.

However, Gnonto is now at risk of being forgotten as a prospect, and will likely only play in the Premier League next season if he helps Leeds United win promotion this campaign.