LEEDS UNITED COMPLETE DEADLINE DAY DEAL FOR WILFRIED GNONTO - Leedsunited.com 2/9/22
Leeds United are pleased to confirm the transfer deadline day signing of Italian international Wilfried Gnonto.
The forward joins the Whites from Swiss Super League
champions FC Zurich, for an undisclosed fee.
He has penned a five-year deal at Elland Road, running until
the summer of 2027.
A product of Inter Milan’s Academy, Gnonto spent eight years
with the San Siro outfit before moving to Zurich in 2020.
He made 26 appearances during the 2020/21 campaign, before
helping to fire Zurich to a first Swiss Super League title in 13 years last
season, hitting 10 goals and providing five assists.
The 18-year-old’s performances did not go unnoticed by Italy
manager Roberto Mancini, who handed him his first cap against Germany in the
UEFA Nations League in June 2022.
He then went on to score his first goal for his country in
the reverse fixture against Germany, becoming Italy’s youngest goal-scorer ever
in the process, breaking a record which had stood since 1958.
Gnonto arrives at Elland Road having made 74 appearances in
all competitions for Zurich, along with four caps for Italy.
He becomes the club’s ninth signing of the summer, following
the arrivals of Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, Darko Gyabi, Rasmus Kristensen,
Sonny Perkins, Joel Robles, Marc Roca and Luis Sinisterra.