Teenager Wilfried Gnonto has snuck into Leeds United in the closing moments of the summer transfer window after a transfer was agreed with Zurich. The Italy international arrives at Elland Road on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee after a deadline day which looked like it would leave the Whites empty-handed.
With Daniel James’s loan to Fulham waiting to go through all day, United appeared to be ending the day a man down after Bamba Dieng had his head turned as he prepared to board a flight to the UK. The Marseille forward would ultimately fail a medical at Nice anyway, but it left Leeds looking short of options with the hours ebbing away.
Gnonto, 18, had been linked to Elland Road throughout the summer and Jesse Marsch had even commented on the striker recently. Asked if Gnonto was Premier League ready, the head coach said: “No.
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“I didn't even know that was out there, but we know who he is and with him it'd be more of a long-term project. Maybe you can then, with that comment, read into whether it's going to happen this transfer window or if it can't happen, this transfer window or not, or in the future.
“That's one thing with working with Victor, he's incredibly organised in looking at what we need now, what we need in the winter, what we need next summer, what we need two years from now and really looking at how everything pieces together.”
Marsch is next expected to face the written press on Saturday after the match with Brentford, when he is sure to be asked more about how the Italian fits into his squad.
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