Leeds United have agreed a deal with FC Zurich for teenage Italy international Willy Gnonto after he received his work permit.
According to Sky Sport Italia transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, the clubs have worked out all the terms for the 18-year-old forward.
It is a transfer at €4.5m plus bonuses, and FC Zurich will retain a percentage of the sell-on fee.
It was only be able to go through after the Football Association granted a work permit to Gnonto and it’s reported that has now been given the all-clear.
The Inter youth product joined FC Zurich as a free agent in the summer of 2020 and made a real name for himself, earning four senior caps for Italy.
He also scored one goal against Germany in the Nations League.
Gnonto is a very short player, not even 5ft 6in, but fast and tough to shake off the ball.
He played on the wing for Italy, but at club level has mainly been a support striker or even a False 9.
Gnonto was linked with several Italian clubs over the summer, but Zurich’s initial €20m asking price put them off.
That was lowered significantly as the months wore on.
Not one Italian side interested in picking up an Italian youngster on the cheap?
Really?
I think young Italians need to start to have the same mentality to their Brazil, argentina, etc counterparts. The days of azzurri made of exclusively of serie a players are ending since serie a clubs are not giving any opportunity to these youngsters. verrati could be a norm in the future ( players represent Italy without playing a single minute in serie a). Sad
Yes, shame Italy for not signing one of your own young talent.
I am disgusted at seeing all these foreigners in Serie A. Wake up Italy.
Luci
Agreed why no Italian clubs picked him up is beyond belief. Keep buying these South American seconds instead.
I agree it is sad that all these young Italian’s can’t get into Series A because the top teams want to but foreign players all the time. I do think the premier League will help him
4.5M should really be affordable to mid table teams at the very least. I am not sure why no Serie-A teams picks him up?
The Scandinavian countries, France, Germany, the South American countries all have national team players who do not play in their domestic leagues. Even English players are beginning to play in other leagues. That’s the way things are. Football is less parochial than in the past and moving between countries is no big deal – not for footballers or any professional. This is a good move for Gnonto. He will play in a ‘physical’ league against some of the best teams in the world. He can only improve.
I agree that an Italian team should have bought him, at such a bargain price. However, he’s likely to get more opportunities at Leeds than he would have at some Serie A teams and his development will benefit from him playing in another good league. Hopefully he will do well at Leeds and move to Serie A in the future.
Italian teams will rarely start such a young player, all tacticians are obsessed with “experienced” players.
Why would he go to Italy? Good move for him, he can test himself against the most valuable players out there.
Sad no Italian team picked him up but better for us that he plays and hopefully he will be goven a chance in the prem.