Leeds United
Leeds United v Everton - Premier League Paraag Marathe, President of 49ers Enterprises, and Morrie Eisenberg, Leeds United COO, look at the South Stand after the Premier League match between Leeds United and Everton at Elland Road in Leeds, on August 18, 2025. Leeds United Kingdom PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xMIxNewsx originalFilename:fletcher-leedsuni250818_npPDU.jpg
Leeds United surpassed expectations last summer when they avoided relegation with games to spare and finished 14th in the final Premier League standings.
The Whites proved all the early-season predictions wrong, and Daniel Farke proved that he can keep a team in the Premier League after his failures at Norwich City.
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However, Paraag Marathe has insisted that it may take two or three more years before Leeds can behave like an established Premier League club, and stressed the importance of the club meeting the Premier League’s new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules.
Leeds avoided selling anyone of note last summer, but that will change this summer. There are question marks surrounding Pascal Struijk’s future, and Marathe’s statement means Wilfried Gnonto will almost certainly leave.
Wilfried Gnonto will bring a considerable SCR boost
The Italian winger did cut a frustrating figure at Leeds last season after he lost his place in the team following Daniel Farke’s decision to switch formations midway through the campaign.
Wilfried Gnonto ended up playing in the cup games and remained an option from the bench in the Premier League.
He has already dropped a big hint that he could be on his way out, and Marathe’s statement on SCR means Leeds need his sale this summer.
Leeds signed him for a deal worth £3.8m in 2022, and his current value, according to Transfermarkt, is beyond the £11m mark.
Freiburg have already held talks with Leeds over signing him on loan. However, the Whites want to sell him or want a purchase clause in any loan agreement.
Leeds are believed to be demanding more than £12m for Gnonto, and his sale would turn a huge profit on the books for Leeds.
It would also mean a major SCR boost for Leeds as they push to bring in upgrades for their squad while staying within the Premier League’s spending limits.
He needs to move on this summer
After Daniel Farke switched systems midway through last season, it became increasingly clear that Wilfried Gnonto was no longer a natural fit in the way Leeds United wanted to play.
The Italian continued to get opportunities in cup competitions, but his Premier League role was largely reduced to making an impact from the bench rather than starting regularly.
Farke is also known for sticking with a settled side once he finds a winning formula, and since the tactical change, Gnonto has struggled to establish himself as a regular in the starting XI.
There was strong interest in the winger during the January transfer window, but he ultimately stayed at Elland Road. However, a move away from the club this summer now appears more likely than ever.
Leeds will be hoping to command a significant fee if Gnonto does leave, with any money raised likely to be reinvested into strengthening the squad ahead of next season.