Willy Gnonto agreement is now close as Leeds United try to finalise Elland Road deal – Phil Hay.
Willy Gnonto is “close” to signing a new Leeds United deal, with the club looking to increase his terms, according to Phil Hay.
On 22 January, The Athletic journalist tweeted that the Whites were aiming to “finalise an agreement” with the Italian international, having hoped to lock him into a better contract.
His interview with David Ornstein on The Athletic website adds that the 20-year-old is close to signing new terms to stay at Elland Road.
Earlier on Monday, Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas reported that Leeds United were “increasingly confident” of closing the deal, and it now appears that it will be completed soon.
Looking ahead.
The club’s goal to reach an agreement with Gnonto that would ensure his place at Elland Road was one thing, but given how things had gone for him over the previous six months, it appeared altogether different for him to be on board as well.
After doing everything he could to leave before the summer window closed in the face of sustained interest from Everton, only for the Whites to refuse, and then seeing his chances on the pitch dwindle due to the outstanding form of Crysencio Summerville and Dan James, he could easily have considered looking elsewhere.
The former FC Zurich youngster’s apparent willingness to sign a new contract, which should, in theory, put an end to speculation about his departure in the short term, demonstrates great support for what Daniel Farke and the 49ers have done thus far this season.
The fact that he had three and a half years remaining on his current contract and would be paid more on a new one surely didn’t hurt.
However, for a player who has only started six league games, this appears to be a positive move in ensuring that he does not look elsewhere.
Farke looks to want complete devotion to the project even if players aren’t given much of a chance, as evidenced by his harsh attitude on Charlie Cresswell, so the fact that the club is rushing to get this done presumably suggests Gnonto has demonstrated that.
A word of caution: Joe Gelhardt signed a new, improved deal before of last season, with the idea that he would become a vital player, but he has since fallen farther behind.
So Gnonto’s future could be an opportunity for the new regime to set itself apart from the previous one in terms of decision-making.
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