Quite what Wilfried Gnonto is capable of achieving remains to be seen, but the growing incredulity surrounding his price tag says everything about the 19-year-old’s awesome potential.
Signed last summer from Swiss outfit FC Zurich for £3.8million, Leeds United‘s pint-sized Italian teenager is making that fee look ludicrously cheap.
His display in Wednesday’s FA Cup third-round replay against Cardiff once again had pundits and supporters purring, his two first-half goals, including a Paulo Di Canio-esque volleyed opener, inspiring a 5-2 victory.
Tony Dorigo, a key member of Leeds’ First Division title-winning side in 1992, now works as an expert summariser covering Jesse Marsch’s side.
Gnonto came to Dorigo’s attention when the former England defender was commentating on an Italy game in the Nations League against Germany last June.
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“I was thinking ‘wow, who this is kid?’ but, lo and behold, he ends up joining Leeds United for a paltry £3.8million, which is one hell of a bargain.
“I thought ‘what’s the problem here?’ because that just doesn’t happen but there hasn’t been a problem at all.
“Gnonto has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water – he’s been a revelation and it’s quite amazing what he’s doing at such a young age.
“His clarity of pass and decision-making at such a young stage is mightily impressive – he always wants the ball and is a fantastic outlet.”
This kid is SPECIAL
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 18, 2023
A sensational finish from @LUFC's Wilfried Gnonto puts them ahead
Watch #LEECAR on ITV4 and @ITVXpic.twitter.com/noh40cC6Vw
Gnonto was not supposed to sign for Leeds until this month but a failed move for Cody Gakpo saw them sign the teenager on deadline day last September.
The son of Ivorian parents and a product of Inter Milan’s academy, Gnonto spent eight years with the San Siro outfit before moving to Zurich in 2020.
It was there he came onto Leeds’ radar and they took a punt on him, although head coach Marsch was not expecting the teenager to feature quite so prominently right away.
Injuries to Luis Sinisterra and Crysencio Summerville, though, opened the door for Gnonto, who speaks Italian, French, German and English and has grown particularly close to Summerville.
Gnonto’s parents have followed him to Leeds and his father drives him into training every day.
A source told i: “In Willie’s first few training sessions, Jesse watched him and decided he would be slowly integrated into the first-team.
“But Sinisterra got injured, Summerville had some problems and Jack Harrison was out of form, so Willie gradually pushed himself to the front of the queue and has not looked back
“He’s a unique character with an infectious personality and has become popular with the senior boys.”
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville gushed over Gnonto following his feisty display in last Friday’s defeat at Aston Villa, after which Marsch said his 5ft 5in star plays “like he’s seven feet tall”.
After Gnonto enhanced his cult status among Leeds fans against Cardiff, scoring after 26 seconds, Marsch said: “Willy is a very intelligent, humble, grounded, real human being.
“He wants to improve, to work hard and he believes in the process that we’ve created for him and for the group.”
Dorigo will follow the player’s dramatic rise, adding: “He’s got a bit of an edge to him, which I admire, and is like a little bull who won’t give up.
“But, my goodness, he’s got some ability to go with that and what’s exciting is how much more he will develop because there’s no doubt he will get better and better.”
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