Leeds United could be set to wave goodbye to star winger Wilfried Gnonto this summer as transfer interest steps up.
Gnonto, 20, has impressed for the Whites ever since he made the switch from FC Zurich back in September 2022.
The winger has shown an incredible ability to carry the ball up the pitch, making it tough for Premier League and Championship defenders alike to deal with him.
With 20 goal involvements for Leeds, along with a handful of senior Italian national team caps, Gnonto has proven he has plenty of quality.
However, after failing to earn promotion from the second tier last season, it appears as though Premier League clubs are looking to take advantage.
Everton have been linked with a move for Gnonto this summer, opening up the possibility of an exit.
So with that in mind, here’s a look at three potential replacements for the winger that the Elland Road outfit could
sign.
Wilfried Gnonto transfer replacements for Leeds
To understand which players should replace Gnonto, there is a need to understand the sort of player that is being replaced in the first place.
According to stats from FBRef, the Italian international is in the 90th percentile for progressive carries in the Championship, while he also ranks in the 92nd percentile for progressive passes received. clearances and dribblers tackled.
In all, his statistical profile paints him as a player who is more than comfortable receiving the ball and carrying it into key areas, while he is more than capable in a defensive duel.
Isaiah Jones – Middlesbrough
One option in the Championship that could fit this profile of player well is Middlesbrough star Isaiah Jones.
The 25-year-old possesses a similar statistical fit, showing an ability to receive the ball and drive with it into the opposition’s final third.
He is also more than comfortable in defending, but Jones does have something that Gnonto lacks at times and that is frightening pace.
The Boro forward had Premier League opposition Chelsea on the ropes in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, teeing up the goal that saw his side take a 1-0 lead into the second leg.
Unfortunately for Leeds, if they were to look at landing Jones, he recently signed a new deal at the Riverside until 2027 – which would likely hike the price of any potential transfer.
Jack Clarke – Sunderland
Jack Clarke is a Leeds academy graduate that everyone knows about following his big-money switch to Tottenham in 2019.
The young winger failed to make his mark at Spurs, but since switching to Sunderland there have been clear signs of his quality.
With 15 goals and four assists last season for a side that struggled to find consistency, Clarke is constantly finding ways to create opportunities for himself or his teammates.
As his contract lasts until 2026, Sunderland could look to sell before that deal runs down any further, making for an ideal move.
There are a few issues with this transfer though, one being that Clarke’s defensive numbers as a winger are less than ideal – all ranking low statistically.
There’s also the fact that his strengths lay in being a right-footed left winger rather than playing on the other flank – consistently finding spaces to drift inside and firing a shot from range.
It means that, while he could play on the right, Clarke may be better suited to being a replacement for someone such as Crysencio Summerville instead of Gnonto.
Yaser Asprilla – Watford
A slightly different opportunity in the market this summer could be Watford and Colombia starlet Yaser Asprilla.
The 20-year-old is coming off the back of his second full season in the Championship with the Hornets, where he scored six goals and assisted seven.
Asprilla is a left-footed right winger, who has shown a desire to cut inside from the flank and wreak havoc on defenders.
Statistically, he is slightly different to Gnonto as he isn’t quite the ball-carrying winger that was outlined at the start.
However, Asprilla is capable of dictating play, often playing many progressive passes and setting up shot-creating actions.
His defensive numbers are in the average percentiles for Championship wingers, not quite replicating Gnonto either.
But at just 20 years old, with two full seasons under his belt and some senior international caps, he is certainly a player who can be coached towards big things.
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