Leeds United Willy Gnonto exit stance emerges as Everton return

However, they are unable to do a deal until after their star midfielder Amadou Onana’s £50million move to Aston Villa is completed.

At Elland Road the club are not seeking to make sales having already seen one big-money exit with Archie Gray’s Tottenham transfer.

Leeds United sold Archie Gray to Tottenham and bought Joe Rodon

Losing Gray to Spurs was a bigger blow than seeing Gnonto depart to Goodison Park would be so if it was a matter of one or the other fans will be disappointed the homegrown star went first.

Victor Orta’s time at the club is still having ramifications now as the accounts appeared to show £190m in transfer payments on past deals still being due coming into the summer [Sky Sports, 29 May].

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post on 28 May £73m of that figure had to be paid prior to the end of June, and while the Red Bull sponsorship has brought a significant boost to the finances it would be no shock if the Elland Road hierarchy felt the need to make another sale if the money was right.

Glen Kamara’s exit to Rennes may also be relevant as a deal worth €8m [£6.72m] has been agreed according to L’Equipe (13 July) which is a profit on his £5m move from Rangers a year ago, although the Glasgow side are due a 10 per cent sell-on and a replacement will be targeted [Leeds All Over, 13 July].

So it may be that the Whites could hold out against bids for Gnonto as they did a year ago if Daniel Farke doesn’t want to lose the 20-year-old Italian international.

Leeds United refused last time largely because he was one of the high-profile players who didn’t have a relegation release clause in his contract at a time when an exodus from Elland Road was under way [Leeds Live, 15 August].

At the time the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter were still to emerge as the attacking stars of Farke’s squad so if they could both be kept then the club may be convinced to take the money for Gnonto.

He contributed down the line to the tune of nine goals and three assists but was third choice on the wing behind Summerville and Dan James after putting in a transfer request and attempting to push through an exit.

That suggests he would again be interested in joining Sean Dyche’s side so surely everything depends on how much of the Onana cash Everton are willing to put on the table.

In other Leeds United news, the Whites are ready to make a move to sign a player who was a Premier League regular throughout last season.

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