Having been demoted from the Italy national team to their U21s in this international break, Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto has to work hard.
That’s what OA Calcio are explaining on Thursday, as they look at the players who could be the catalysts of the rebirth of Italy’s young players.
The Leeds man is mentioned among those, as they explain that his presence in the squad ‘stands out’, before being told he will have to ‘rebuild himself’ with the national set up after some ‘dark months’ at Elland Road in the Championship.
That is the only way he will be able to return as a ‘protagonist’ in the senior set up, since Luciano Spalletti, despite being rather limited with striking options, has chosen to ignore him this time around.
This all comes after three substitute appearances under Daniel Park in wins against Huddersfield, Leicester and Plymouth, with his last start coming in the 1-0 loss against Stoke City.
It’s fair to say that Gnonto’s time at Leeds has been filled with ups and downs, and he is now facing a down moment in the season.
Perhaps a stint with the U21s is exactly what he needs to get back on track.