Leeds United rejected bids for one of their attacking stars last summer but now The 49ers may have to accept bids at a reduced rate this summer, with the player keen to go.
Defeat to Southampton has seen Leeds miss out on Premier League TV money and with a huge £190m owed in player transfers, The 49ers need to get their skates on and bring some cash in at Elland Road.
The sales of Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterrs will help ease those woes but more is required to be done to bring that number to a manageable amount and one player that is likely to depart is winger Willy Gnonto.
Last summer of course, Gnonto refused to play for Leeds as he tried to push through a move. It saw the Italian refuse to play against Birmingham City, Shrewsbury Town and West Bromwich Albion last August.
Now with the club unable to secure promotion, players will have to be sold and Gnonto is keen to return to Serie A while Everton could make another play to land the former Inter star after signing Jack Harrison.
Leeds may have to sell Willy Gnonto for less than £18m price tag
Last summer, Everton made two bids to sign Gnonto with the latter just shy of £20m. But Leeds told fans that Gnonto would not be sold and they remained stubborn, but this summer is completely different.
Leeds need to balance the books and Gnonto will be one sellable asset that will garner interest. A new report from Calcio Mercato states that Gnonto is ‘waiting’ to go and ready to say ‘goodbye’ to Leeds.
It also claims that Leeds will likely have to sell him for less than their previous £18m price tag. AC Milan, Fiorentina, Torino and Sassuolo all showed interest before Gnonto moved to Elland Road from Zurich.
Gnonto is one of five players predicted to be leaving Leeds
Speaking after the defeat to Southampton at Wembley, Jon Newsome predicted that five players could be on their way out of Leeds in the summer. He predicted Joe Rodon to return to Tottenham Hotspur.
He is only on loan, so that makes sense before stating that Crysencio Summerville and Gnonto will be two sold by Leeds, before suggesting there will be interest in Ethan Ampadu and Dan James in the summer.
Leeds need to sell players and if the club can get anything close to the £18m they wanted last summer, then it is something that must be done. Gnonto needs a change really, after an indifferent 23-24 season.