Exclusive:'I do think it's inevitable' - Jermaine Beckford's candid admission over Wilfried Gnonto's Leeds United future
Jermaine Beckford's candid admission over Wilfried Gnonto's Leeds United future
Leeds United icon Jermaine Beckford thinks a summer switch for Wilfried Gnonto is “inevitable”.
The livewire winger initially made a huge impact at Elland Road after a sealing a move from Swiss side FC Zurich in 2022.
He has since been unable to recapture the form displayed in his maiden campaign, struggling to become indispensable in the eyes of manager Daniel Farke. Last season, the 22-year-old was afforded just four starts in the Premier League.
There has been talk of interest from Bundesliga outfit Freiburg and given how little action he has seen in West Yorkshireof late, it would not be a surprise to see Gnonto seek pastures new.
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Jermaine Beckford’s Wilfried Gnonto admission
“I do think it's inevitable, as much as it pains me to say because I love Wilfried,” Beckford told The Yorkshire Post. “I think he's fantastic.
“He's a funny guy. He's a lovely guy, always has time for people. When you look at him on the pitch as well, he's a brilliant football player, neat and tidy, very quick.
“He's just frustrated. He's gone from being a regular starter to being, with all due respect, a benchwarmer, a player that spends the majority of the time on the bench and then comes on for the last 5, 10, 15 minutes of games. As an attacking player, you thrive off confidence and you don't get much confidence when you're sitting on the bench.
“I could see how disappointed he's been with himself, not being able to force his way through into a regular starting position. I do think in terms of financials for the club, to see if we could get a decent amount of money for him as well, bringing a little bit of income, I do think it will be best for him to move on.”
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Wilfried Gnonto’s future
Gnonto’s value may have dipped over the last year, but Leeds are still likely to pocket a healthy profit on the meagre sum they paid FC Zurich for his services nearly four years ago.
A move may be in Gnonto’s best interests, as he has strayed far from the Italy set-up he broke into as a teenager.
“I just want to see him happy,” said Beckford. “I want to see him enjoying playing football because that's where he's the most impactful.
“When he's playing, he's fantastic, and I want to see the best of him. The only way you can get that is by playing. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like he's going to be a regular at Leeds anymore.”
Gnonto has made a total of 147 appearances across his four seasons as a Leeds player, registering 23 goals and 17 assists.