Willy Gnonto has sent a touching message to Luke Ayling after the defender ended his Leeds United spell following seven and a half years at Leeds – underlining how important Ayling had been for him.
Ayling and Gnonto combined on the right wing on a number of occasions after Gnonto joined Leeds in the summer of 2022 from Zurich. Clocking up nearly 300 games for us, he has joined Middlesbrough.
A loan deal until the end of the season for the right-back. But, Phil Hay says Ayling, as well as Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas, are unlikely to get new deals – it is pretty much the end of his Leeds spell.
His exit from Leeds sees Ayling join a growing Leeds contingent on The Riverside. Jonny Howson and Sam Greenwood among the playing staff, Jonathan Woodgate is Michael Carrick’s first team coach.
So, with Ayling gone, there has been an outpouring of emotional messages on social media. Pablo Hernandez commented on his Instagram, along with Robin Koch, Rodrigo Moreno and Pascal Struijk.
Liam Cooper sent Ayling a touching message on Twitter, telling the former Arsenal man he would not rather anyone else “in the trenches”. An emotional day for Leeds players, fans and of course, Ayling.
Willy Gnonto reacts in club video as Luke Ayling leaves Leeds
A modern-day Leeds legend and one that will be fondly remembered for his part in our return to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa. The flying right-back that had a hand in 32 goals over the years.
Even Gnonto sent a touching tribute. On the Leeds website, a handful of Leeds players gave video messages to the defender – starting with Cooper, ending with Stuart Dallas. Gnonto also commented.
“Hi Luke, I wanted to say thank you for everything you have done for me. From the first day, thank you for the advice, for the good memories together. It hasn’t been a long time, you’ve been so good to me.
“From the first day that I came here. A pleasure to be around you every day, and to get to know you. I hope you will be good at Middlesbrough, I know you’ll have a good time because you’re a good person.”
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