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Leeds target Man Utd’s Amad for swap deal as Wilfried Gnonto moves towards exit
Italian flyer Wilfried Gnonto is eyeing the Elland Road exit door after relegation back to the Championship, so a loan move for Ivory Coast star Amad has emerged as a possibility
Leeds are on the trail of Manchester United winger Amad as they look to win a quick-fire return to the Premier League.
With Jack Harrison and Italian flyer Wilfried Gnonto eyeing the Elland Road exit door after relegation back to the Championship, a loan move for Ivory Coast star Amad has emerged as a possibility as they look for wide-area options.
Ivory Coast international Amad, 21 next month, spent last season on loan at Sunderland proving a big hit at the Stadium of Light. Amad scored fourteen goals for Tony Mowbray’s men in the Championship and reports suggest the youngster would happily return to try and win promotion with the Black Cats who were beaten in the play-offs by eventual winners Luton last month.
The youngster joined United from Atalanta for £20 million in January 2021 but he’s been overtaken in the pecking order by Argentinian sensation Alejandro Garnacho and Uruguayan Facundo Pellistri.
With Amad back at Old Trafford, boss Erik ten Hag plans to take him on the club’s summer tour to the USA to take a closer look at spaces in United’s first-team squad tight next season.
Another loan move looks likely although Ten Hag would have preferred to move Amad either abroad or to one of the promoted clubs to continue his development rather than another season in the Championship.
That won’t deter Leeds from pursuing a deal, but until a new manager arrives to replace Sam Allardyce, who oversaw the final games of the campaign as Leeds slipped out of the Premier League, all outgoings and new signings are on hold.
Former Norwich boss Daniel Farke has strong support in the Leeds boardroom after the German twice guided the Canaries into the Premier League.
Crystal Palace eye Gnonto as Zaha replacement
Crystal Palace will make a move for exciting Italian international wing star Wilfried Gnonto if they lose Wilfried Zaha this summer.
Zaha, 30, will become a free agent next Friday and has so far not made any commitment to staying at Selhurst Park as he weighs up his options.
Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr are reportedly willing to pay Zaha £45 million over three years to join Cristiano Ronaldo while Paris Saint-Germain have also shown interest in grabbing the Ivory Coast star.
But Palace will have competition from rivals Brighton, West Ham and Everton if they pursue Gnonto with the talented Leeds youngster attracting widespread attention after relegation condemned the Yorkshiremen to the Championship next season.
Gnonto, 19, delivered some eye-catching performances in his debut season at Elland Road after signing from FC Zurich in a bargain £4 million deal last September.
After making ten senior appearances for Roberto Mancini’s Italy side last season, Gnonto’s value has rocketed to £30 million – but plenty are willing to bid for the speedy star this summer.
Despite having double-figure caps for his country, Gnonto has been picked for the Euro Under-21 Championships currently underway in Romania and Georgia.
And scouts from Gnonto’s Premier League suitors are currently in Cluj to watch him against Switzerland on Sunday.
