Should Leeds United get relegated, then there is a chance Arsenal and Chelsea could attempt to lure Wilfried Gnonto away from Elland Road in the summer.
That’s according to Gazzetta dello Sport, who claim the player is of interest to three big Premier League clubs following his performances for the Whites this season, including the Gunners and the Blues.
With Chelsea spending money left, right and centre, and Arsenal expected to bolster their squad with more quality as they return to the Champions League, it appears the new Leeds star could be among their desired targets.
The Italian newspaper explain the two London sides are among those ‘following him with great attention’ and described as some of the ‘most active’ on his trail, alongside Manchester City.
It’s quickly made clear that Leeds would want a fee of around €30-40m to let him go in the summer, even if they were to get relegated to the Championship, as he’s shown an ability to adapt quickly and perform consistently despite his young age.
In fact, Arsenal and Chelsea ‘are convinced that thanks to his characterises, he can make a further leap in quality’, believing he will become deadlier in front of goal, which will see him become a player ‘to have at all costs’.
This is what the Blues did with Carney Chukwuemeka, knowing he will develop into a great player, but signing him before he actually did.
For Leeds, it would make sense to cash in on him if they get relegated considering he only cost them €4.5m up front, but that would certainly not be the case if they stayed up.
Therefore, Arsenal and Chelsea will likely be wanting the Whites to go down in order to have a chance of signing Gnonto for a cheaper fee than if he continues to shine an extra year in the Premier League.
As for Juventus, they are also interested, and you might have seen some stories of them wanting to include the 19-year-old in the potential deal for Weston McKennie, but Gazzetta dello Sport are adamant the Elland Road side ‘have no intention of selling him at a settlement price, much less considering him as a counterpart’.
Therefore, we can put that particular story to bed.
