Exclusive:'I would be gutted' - Wilfried Gnonto admission made by ex-Leeds United man amid transfer talk
Wilfried Gnonto’s Leeds United situation assessed by ex-Whites defender Matthew Kilgallon
Former Leeds United defender Matthew Kilgallon has conceded he would be “gutted” to see Wilfried Gnonto depart Elland Road.
A livewire winger, Gnonto arrived in West Yorkshire from Swiss outfit FC Zurich in 2022 and made an immediate impression.
He has since struggled to recapture the magic of his maiden campaign and has been afforded just four Premier League starts this season.
The 22-year-old’s lack of action has fuelled talk of a summer move and Freiburg of the Bundesliga have been mooted as a potential destination.
Ex-Leeds United man on Wilfried Gnonto
Kilgallon, who made 95 appearances for Leeds between 2002 and 2007, told The Yorkshire Post: “For me, if he went, I would be absolutely gutted. I do like him. I could see that he’d want to play more.
“He's probably not been involved in the Italy squad as much now because he's not playing. It might be one, if there was anyone you actually did let go and [say] ‘go on then’, Willy would maybe be one of them.”
Leeds ended the 2025/26 season with a 3-4-2-1 formation in operation, a system that does not utilise out-and-out wingers.
Whites boss Daniel Farke has appeared reluctant to use Gnonto as a wing-back or as one of the two players in behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Wilfried Gnonto’s struggle for minutes at Leeds United
Kilgallon said: “It's a strange one with Willy Gnonto because when he first signed for Leeds United, he was this player that we didn't know much about.
“[He was] a young lad, but jumped on the scene early doors with Leeds United, got in the team, and everyone was going, ‘Who is this? This looks like a right player here’. He was taking everyone by surprise, he was taking people on, being a real threat.
“But since that season, he's been in and out really, injured a little bit, and then obviously the year when Leeds got promoted, they had Dan James and Crysencio Summerville who were on absolute fire on the wings, and he just didn't get in.
“It’s been the same this season, in and out, coming on for 20 minutes, 10 minutes here and there. I do like him, I can understand him being frustrated, but he's still a young lad.”