Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has admitted the club are aware of FC Zurich’s Wilfried Gnonto but he would be a signing for the future. The Whites are reportedly in talks with the Swiss side over a deal potentially in the region of £5 million for the talented youngster.
The 18-year-old has already been capped four times by Roberto Mancini at senior level for Italy, netting one goal and providing one assist in two matches against Germany. His fine performances have caught the eye of several teams across Europe, including Leeds, who according to reports in Italy, are in talks over his signing.
Speaking in his pre-Chelsea press conference, Marsch acknowledged that Gnonto is a player the club rate very highly but claims that if he is brought in before the end of the current window, he will be a long term project.
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“We know him, and I think we think very highly of him. He’s a young talented player. I think we’re very active in pursuing things and we have some strategies and let’s see how they play out.
“We still have time and I think there will be movement, with us and other teams. I think some dominoes will start to fall and we have to be prepared to act on those situations.
“It’s a long time since we made our last transfer but I can tell you the conversations and work behind the scenes has been very active."
Asked again specifically about Gnonto, he added: “No, I didn’t even know that’s out there but we know who he is and with him it’d be more of a long term project. Then with that comment you can read into whether it’s going to happen in this transfer window or if it can’t happen in this window, or the future.
“That’s one thing working with Victor, he’s incredibly organised in looking at what we need now, when we need in the winter, what we need next summer and what we need in two years.
“Looking at how everything pieces together and if you look at all the teams in the Premier League together and which teams are locked in for the longest, I think we’re maybe the highest, if not close to the top one. It gives the manager the chance to develop something and that’s what we’re hopeful of.”
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