‘Opened The Door’ – Leeds United Star Could Make Late Exit | OneFootball

Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Leeds United winger Willy Gnonto ‘has opened the door’ to a move to Italy before the transfer window slams shut.

Gnonto has struggled to command a regular spot in the side under Daniel Farke at Elland Road, with other wingers preferred ahead of him.

The wide-man was an unused substituted in Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Brentford on Sunday, with Farke bringing on wingers Dan James and Harry Wilson off the bench.

The situation was less than ideal for Gnonto given that new Italy boss Roberto Mancini was watching on from the Elland Road stands.

Fiorentina have shown interest in signing Gnonto and still see him as an option, but the immediate need for La Viola has been eased by the capture of winger Alieu Njie from Torino.

Gnonto has ‘opened the door’ to moving to Italy before the window shuts, according to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira.

Whether Leeds will receive late approaches for Gnonto now remains to be seen, as does whether Farke is willing to sanction an exit before the window closes.

Gnonto did have interest from Bundesliga side Freiburg earlier this summer, but they found doing a deal to be difficult.

The Italy winger admitted towards the end of last term that he would like to be playing more for Leeds.

If Gnonto stays at Elland Road beyond the closure of the summer transfer window then it is unlikely his status will change, unless a raft of injuries hit the Whites’ winger options.

Keen to make sure he enters Mancini’s thinking for the Italy squad, Gnonto may well feel he has to move on.

Whether it is now too late in the window for a deal to make sense for Leeds, even if Gnonto’s agents can bring acceptable proposals, remains to be seen.