Leeds United have already paid the price for failing to earn promotion back to the Premier League as they watched academy graduate Archie Gray seal an exit earlier this summer.
The Whites lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley in May and are now preparing for a second successive season in the Championship.
This has meant that they are at risk of losing some of their key players and Gray has been the first, and potentially not last, to move on, with a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.
The West Yorkshire outfit are now reportedly in talks to cash in on another of their first-team performers from the 2023/24 campaign amid interest from the Premier League.
Leeds in talks to sell star forward
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, top-flight side Everton have a 'genuine' interest in securing a deal for Leeds winger Wilfried Gnonto.
The reporter claims that they have already held talks with the player's representatives to discuss a potential move to Goodison Park this summer.
He adds that negotiations are now underway between the two clubs to see if an agreement can be reached for the Italy U21 international to depart Elland Road for Merseyside.
This comes almost a year after Gnonto handed in a transfer request in an attempt to join Everton after Leeds had rejected four offers from Sean Dyche's side, before ultimately remaining in Yorkshire.
These new talks suggest that there is now a chance that the winger could finally seal the move he wanted in 2023. However, Daniel Farke should not worry about this news because he already has a big upgrade on the Italian attacker in his squad – Dan James.
Why Dan James is a big upgrade on Wilfried Gnonto
Their respective form on the right flank during the 2023/24 campaign suggests that Leeds would be better off with the Wales international being their first choice in that role next term.
They both operate on the right side of the attacking trident behind the striker and Farke could go with James as his out-and-out option there if Gnonto, who was dubbed an "amazing" signing for the Whites by analyst Ben Mattinson, moves to Everton.
Last season, the former Manchester United speedster's performances at the top end of the pitch were far more impressive, as he showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Appearances
36
40
xG
5.36
10.00
Goals
8
13
Assists
2
7
Big chances created
5
13
As you can see in the table above, James outperformed his xG by more and got himself into far more high-quality goalscoring positions to find the back of the net.
He also created far more quality opportunities for his teammates to score throughout the season, which suggests that the Welsh whiz made a greater impact in the final third.
If fit, the ex-Swansea wizard could be a huge asset to the Yorkshire-based side and continue to offer a regular stream of goals and assists for the club, whereas the Italian youngster provided a decent goalscoring threat with very little creativity.
Therefore, Farke already has a better right winger than Gnonto within his Leeds squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, due to the quality James has proven to provide, which is why an exit to Everton would not be a gigantic blow for the club.
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ByDan EmeryJul 15, 2024