Teenage Italy international Willy Gnonto has officially signed for Leeds United in a deal worth €4.5m plus bonuses and a percentage of the sell-on fee, but will their fans copy the FC Zurich song about him?
He is the latest Azzurri player to move to the Premier League after Gianluca Scamacca, Jorginho, Emerson Palmieri and more.
Gnonto is only 18 years old and will be 19 in November, but already has four senior caps for Italy, finding the net against Germany in the Nations League.
Short and quick, but tough to push off the ball, he can play in a variety of attacking roles including on either wing, as a support striker or a False 9.
He was a product of the Inter youth academy, but left as a free agent in 2020 because he was still too young to be locked down to a contract under Italian rules.
Gnonto scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists in 74 games for FC Zurich before the transfer was completed with minutes to spare on deadline day.
A work permit was granted and he has signed a contract to June 2027. He will wear the Number 29 jersey.
The player earned himself a whole song from the FC Zurich fans as they marched on to the Swiss Super League title, but Leeds supporters might want to get some new lyrics.
Should be okay now that we’ve got a Koch and a Willy 😊
i have to be honest, I dont see him being anything special. He’s quick and determined but lacks finishing and his technique is somewhat average. Like a lot of african players, they tend to have an early peak ( think martins from inter etc). I don’t see that ”it” factor. Miretti on the other hand has ”it”. Same with players like Parisi from empoli.
Little Willy, Willy Gnonto!!
No, you can’t push Willy round
Willy Gnonto!
We’re tellin’ everybody now, pronto!!
Little Willy, Willy is
Top boy!!
This man could well be similar to Rod Wallace, causing havoc to defences – Throw him in. Other clubs w
Gnonto is Italian of Ivorian descent. So he’s Italian, Who grew up in Italy, educated in Italy, and trained in Italy. Don’t think his ethnic background will determine whether he peaks early or not.
4 caps for Italy and a goal and only 18 and only cost £3.5M.
Sounds like a bargain
PrimoCalcio
Not true and not false but what im saying is that african players tend to rely on pace and more developed physical attributes to get a head start in youth. I don’t see anything special about gnoto. He’s a very generic player but useful enough. I don’t see him getting much better than he currently is.
Going to waste his years there and will want to go back to Italy like Kean did and waste more development time.