“He hasn’t played well enough to be a regular in the Leeds team Or is it that he’s just not found any rhythm because he’s not been playing regularly?”- Dan Goodman reacts to Willy Gnonto exit news as Journalist confirms West Ham interest in signing player this January
Don Goodman says the way Willy Gnonto went about trying to orchestrate a Leeds United exit last summer was “unsavoury”, amid talk the forward could finally get a move back to the Premier League.
Everton had three separate bids rejected for the Italy international in the previous transfer window, the highest of which was close to £26million [BBC Sport, 1 September].
Gnonto submitted a transfer request and effectively went on strike at Thorp Arch in a desperate attempt to force through a return to the Premier League.
However, Leeds stood firm and refused to accept any offers that did not meet their £30m valuation, meaning the 20-year-old remained at Elland Road.
According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri via his personal Twitter account [18 January], West Ham are now expected to snap up Gnonto before the January window closes.
While Goodman can understand the player’s need to play at a higher level, he believes his stock has fallen in the past six months or so.
“It’s a funny one really,” Goodman told MOT Leeds when asked if he can see Leeds cashing in this month.
“It was obviously very unsavoury with the way he handled everything last summer when going on strike. I mean, good grief – that’s the worst.
“That will put other football clubs, other managers, off purchasing you. I understand he’s young and naive, and he was ill-advised by his agent.
“His agent clearly should not have let that situation unfold. Now we find that Willy Gnonto is not a regular starter. He comes off the bench a lot, but he has aspirations of playing at the Euros with Italy in the summer.
“You can’t do that if you’re not getting game time, especially when you’re not getting game time in the second tier of English football – it’s as simple as that.
“Again, from his personal perspective, he needs to be playing football. But the biggest thing of all is that he hasn’t played well enough to be a regular in the Leeds team.
“So you’ve got to question whether Everton have had a lucky escape by not paying all that money in the summer. Or is it that he’s just not found any rhythm because he’s not been playing regularly?”
