Leeds United have reached a verbal agreement to send winger Wilfried Gnonto to Serie A side Fiorentina on loan. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has given the deal his “Here we go” confirmation, reporting that the Italian club will cover Gnonto’s full salary and hold an option to buy the player, with a medical scheduled for Tuesday.
The move marks a potential end to the 22-year-old’s time at Elland Road. Since joining from FC Zurich for £3.9m in September 2022, Gnonto has made 147 appearances and scored 23 goals. However, his playing time has diminished following manager Daniel Farke’s tactical shift to a 3-4-2-1 system, which favors wing-backs over traditional wingers.
Transfer Contingency
Despite the agreement between the two clubs, journalist Ben Jacobs reports that Leeds will not officially authorize Gnonto’s departure until a replacement attacker is secured.
Leeds are actively pursuing Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk as their primary replacement target. The Ukrainian international, originally signed by Chelsea for £62m from Shakhtar Donetsk, recently had doping allegations from late 2024 dropped, clearing him to resume his career. Mudryk is eager to remain in the Premier League and views a loan move to Elland Road as a priority, though Chelsea are seeking guarantees regarding his playing time before sanctioning any deal.
Farke Seeks Further Squad Depth
Leeds manager Daniel Farke noted the need for additions following his team’s 1-1 draw against Brentford, specifically highlighting a short roster of outfield players. With defender Joe Rodon suffering a hamstring injury during the match, Leeds are also monitoring potential defensive options, including Everton central defender Jake O’Brien.