During the summer transfer window, the Whites were reportedly interested in the winger.
Over the last two game weeks, Leeds United have squandered an opportunity to close the gap between themselves and the current top two.
Daniel Farke‘s side has taken just one point from games against Sunderland and Coventry in the last week, losing 1-0 to the former and drawing 1-1 with the latter.
This has put them ten points behind Ipswich Town, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Norwich City on Saturday, when the gap could have been reduced to five.
Leeds needed a lift from their substitutes after regular starters Dan James and Joel Piroe failed to step up with any goal involvements in those two games.
Unfortunately, Farke’s depth has been lacking this season, with Patrick Bamford, Wilfried Gnonto, and Jaidon Anthony combining for one goal and one assist in 37 Championship substitute appearances.
The German manager could improve his depth by finally releasing Wilfried Gnonto and rekindling his interest in Genk star Joseph Paintsil.
Leeds United transfer news: Gnonto and Paintsil.
According to Football Insider, the Whites are now willing to let the Italy international leave Elland Road during the upcoming January transfer window.
According to the report, he could be sold next month to help Farke’s budget, allowing him to dip into the market to bring in new reinforcements ahead of the second half of the season.
Gnonto is also said to be ‘desperate’ to play regular first-team football again after spending too much time on the bench this season.
According to Football Insider, teams from both the Premier League and Serie A are keeping an eye on his situation in preparation for a January move.
Leeds, on the other hand, would need to replace Gnonto with another versatile forward, and Farke could finally get rid of the Italian prospect by rekindling his interest in Genk star Joseph Paintsil.
During the summer transfer window, The Athletic reported that the club made a €10 million (£8.6 million) offer to sign the right-footed whiz to improve their attack.
They did not get a deal done for him, however, because the Ghana international later revealed that he turned down offers from Leeds and Southampton because his dream is to play in the Premier League.
The promising youngster decided that staying at Genk was the best option for him at the time in order to earn a direct move to a top five European league later on.
Leeds, on the other hand, are competing at the top of the Championship table and are targeting an immediate return to the top flight.
They could use their current third-place finish to persuade the Pro League star to leave his current club and join Elland Road, with the prospect of playing Premier League football next season being the main selling point.
Wilfried Gnonto statistics
The 20-year-old midfielder joined Leeds from FC Zurich in the summer of 2022 and has shown flashes of brilliance during his time in England.
Gnonto has shown flashes of brilliance, but he has yet to demonstrate the consistency required to be a reliable option for Farke in the short term.
Last season, the young ace scored two goals, assisted four times, and created three ‘big chances’ in 24 Premier League appearances for the Whites, who were relegated to the second tier.
The talented ace had a promising start to life at Elland Road, ranking among the top 19% of top-flight attacking midfielders and wingers in assists (0.27) per 90 minutes.
With the drop to the Championship this season, the right-footed winger has been unable to kick on and take his play to new heights.
Gnonto has one goal, one assist, and zero ‘big chances’ created in 16 league appearances for Leeds this season, six of which have come as a starter.
He handed in a transfer request in an attempt to secure a move to Everton over the summer and has yet to demonstrate that the Whites were correct to keep hold of him rather than cash in when the opportunity arose.
Farke could finally get rid of the Italy international, who expressed interest in leaving earlier this year, by signing Paintsil to replace him in January if the club can persuade the Genk star this time.
The figures that demonstrate why Leeds should sign Paintsil
The 25-year-old dynamo, who was once dubbed a “ice-cold baller” by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, has been on fire since the start of last season and could be a significant upgrade on Gnonto.
Last season, Paintsil stood out for his exceptional ability to contribute both goals and assists on a consistent basis from a wide position.
In 36 Pro League appearances, the Leeds target netted 17 goals and 11 assists while ranking in the top 3% or higher of his positional peers for assists (0.46) and non-penalty goals (0.54) per 90.
He’s followed that up with a strong start to this season. In 18 league games, the 5’6″ wizard has six goals, four assists, and eight ‘big chances’ created.
Paintsil is currently in the top 9% of Pro League attacking midfielders and wingers in terms of Expected Assisted Goals (0.37) per 90 minutes.
Given that he has proven himself over the last 18 months, these statistics show that the impressive forward is a consistent ace with the ability to chip in as a goal scorer and goal creator on a regular basis.
As the table above shows, Paintsil has the potential to be a significant upgrade over Gnonto for Farke in the second half of the season.
The Ghana international could provide real competition for James and Piroe in the attacking positions, as well as a potent option off the bench, which is currently lacking in the squad.
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