Jon Newsome has told BBC Radio Leeds that Willy Gnonto was outstanding in Leeds United’s draw with Manchester United, with the pundit expressing his hope that he is not snatched away from Elland Road in the near future.
Gnonto continues to steal the show in the first-team. And he has now opened the scoring in the opening minute of two games this season.
He found the bottom corner in the early stages of Wednesday’s trip to Old Trafford. It was a brilliant strike from the 19-year-old, who played a superb one-two with Patrick Bamford beforehand.
Gnonto lauded after Leeds draw at Manchester United
Gnonto has been a shining light for several months now. It is certainly not going to be forgotten how Jesse Marsch suggested that he was not initially ready for first-team football when there was speculation that he may make the move to Leeds.
If Leeds manage to keep themselves in the Premier League, Gnonto is going to have played an absolutely massive role. And after shining again on Wednesday, Newsome insisted that he has been hugely impressed by the teenager.
He did however, also express a couple of concerns about the forward’s future.
“My worry is that we don’t burn him out, because he’s a young lad,” he told BBC Radio Leeds. “Physically, he’s mature. And he’s playing at the absolute top level. And he’s ripping it up. He’s tearing right-backs to pieces. I thought he was outstanding again. Great goal.
“He’s always a threat. He’s honest, he’s genuine, he’s full of work. He’ll do the dirty side of the game where he’s got to go and close the full-back down. And he’ll put his foot in and he doesn’t do it half-heartedly. He’ll sprint and give it everything he’s got and close somebody down. And if he can put his foot in, he’ll try and win the ball and get a tackle in. There’s not many left wingers or right wingers that’ll do that for you.
“The worry is he’s a bit like Raphinha in that he comes into the club and he sets the world on fire. And in a year’s time, somebody comes with a massive amount of money and whisks him off down the road. I hope that’s not the case.”
We are not keeping Gnonto for long. That is becoming more and more apparent with each appearance. Those initial flashes of brilliance are now turning into something of a reliance on his magic.
The hope will be that the new manager can find a way to get a tune out of the other attacking players we have. Not only will that take some of the pressure off of Gnonto, but it will also allow the Italy international to go under the radar a little more.
His importance became so clear on Sunday. Once he lost his cool with the treatment he received from the Nottingham Forest players, Leeds’ last hope of salvaging anything from the match disappeared.
Much like Raphinha, there comes a point where you simply have to realise that we need to enjoy Gnonto for as long as he remains at Elland Road.
The likelihood of that big-money bid arriving is only increasing with almost every appearance.