Tommaso Baldanzi was the star of the show for Italy’s U21 side on Tuesday night as they ran out 3-0 winners over Norway, but Leeds United fans are loving what they saw from Wilfried Gnonto.
The 20-year-old has taken on that mantle of main-man aura at Leeds since the departures of Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville, with Gnonto signing a new contract at Elland Road until June 2028.
The Italy star is not only proving to be key for Leeds this season despite only scoring once so far. He is also captaining Italy’s U21 side, wearing the armband during the first half of a 7-0 win over San Marino.
On Tuesday, Gnonto played in a free role behind Francesco Pio Esposito as he got on the ball and tried to create in Norway. The 3-0 win secured Italy’s qualification for the U21 Euros next summer in Slovakia.
Leeds fans are loving what they are seeing from Gnonto
This season, with Summerville and Rutter gone, Daniel Farke is making Gnonto come inside and play as a no.10 when Leeds have the ball despite Brenden Aaronson being the official no.10 in the current side.
While Gnonto’s goals and assists do not jump off the page just yet, the Italian is impressing in the Leeds side. He is getting more and more involved and on Tuesday, he did the same for Italy’s U21 outfit.
For Italy’s first, the ball was flicked into him and he laid a perfectly-weighted ball into Roma star Baldanzi to score the first of his hat-trick in a 3-0 win. Impressed Leeds fans reacted to his display on social media.
There is one area Gnonto needs to work on in a Leeds shirt
Gnonto is clearly a level better than the Championship and it will be interesting to see how Farke starts against Burnley, following the international break. If he had his choice, Gnonto likely starts on the right.
Brenden Aaronson in the middle and Manor Solomon on the left, with Dan James injured. But Aaronson played for USA in the early hours of Wednesday, lasting 66 minutes of USA’s draw with New Zealand.
Solomon clocked up 80 minutes against Belgium and a full match against Italy this week. Only his second and third outings in a year after tearing his meniscus. So the new Leeds man may feel somewhat fatigued.
Burnley will obviously provide stern competition not just on Saturday, but for the season. He will start, but one area Gnonto must improve is being offside, something he has already done five times this term.
Only three other Championship players have already clocked up five assists this season and Gnonto must learn to curve his runs, or time them better if he is to get the goals and assists his game deserves.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
