Everton is gearing up to reinvest the £50 million gained from the imminent sale of Amadou Onana to Aston Villa, hoping this financial boost will jumpstart their summer recruitment.
However, their pursuit of Leeds United’s winger, Wilfried Gnonto, is proving to be challenging.
With Onana set to join Aston Villa as Unai Emery strengthens his squad for their Champions League campaign, Everton is preparing for a significant influx of funds. Despite financial constraints, Everton manager Sean Dyche emphasized the club’s intent to focus on acquisitions, particularly aiming to bolster their wide positions. Interest in Gnonto has resurfaced, with Leeds United aware of Everton’s continued pursuit. Nevertheless, progress remains stagnant, with both clubs yet to reach any substantive agreements.
Reports have indicated that Everton considers the potential acquisition of Gnonto as ‘tricky.’ The Toffees have already missed out on targets such as Yankuba Minteh and Jaden Philogene, who opted for Brighton and Aston Villa, respectively. Additionally, Everton is monitoring Napoli’s Jesper Lindstrom. Financial limitations could complicate the move for Gnonto, whose price tag exceeds £20 million. This poses a challenge for Everton, which recently made a £16 million bid for Philogene.
Leeds United, following Archie Gray’s £40 million transfer to Tottenham Hotspur and Glen Kamara’s £8 million move to Stade Rennais, has maintained that they are not actively looking to sell more players. However, appropriate offers may be considered. Everton’s financial prudence means any enticing offer for Gnonto might not come swiftly, though they have managed to secure Jack Harrison on a second season-long loan from Leeds, reflecting their frugal yet strategic approach.
Gnonto’s position remains uncertain. The winger, who handed in a transfer request last year but later reintegrated into the team, performed admirably, scoring nine goals across all competitions. Despite rumors of a new contract, Gnonto’s current deal with Leeds, which runs until 2027, remains unchanged.
As Everton navigates their financial landscape and transfer targets, the challenge of securing Gnonto’s services underscores the complexities of their recruitment efforts this summer.
