What ‘club sources’ have said about a release clause in Wilfried Gnonto’s new Leeds United deal

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Leeds United have delivered a post-deadline day surprise with the news of Wilfried Gnonto putting pen-to-paper on a new deal.

Gnonto‘s contract will now take him until the summer of 2028 and is just reward for his performances over the two years he has spent in Elland Road.

This feels like a real full circle moment for Gnonto at Leeds considering just over 12 months ago, he had put himself in a situation where he refused to play.

Gnonto even also handed in a transfer request in an attempt to force through a move to Everton, before eventually apologising and getting his head down again.

Interest was there again from Everton this summer, too, and despite a £23 million bid being rejected, Gnonto handled himself well and looks as though he will be vital this season.

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Whether Gnonto has a release clause in new Leeds contract

Release clauses have once again been the talk of the transfer window at Leeds, following on from the eight players who left on loan last summer after relegation.

Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter all left Elland Road this summer, too, with Leeds putting those departures down to previously inserted release clauses.

And so with every new contract that is handed out now, the focus will be on whether the 49ers put release clauses into them.

In what is good news, Fabrizio Romano has shared on his Twitter account that ‘club sources’ have told him there isn’t one in Gnonto’s new deal.

This is a real show of commitment to the club by the 20-year-old, as if Leeds do not win promotion this season, they will be in a position next summer where they can charge what they want.

Any lingering doubts over Gnonto wanting to be here can now firmly be put to bed if there are still people with doubts.

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Gnonto can be Leeds’ main main this season

Having watched his two good friends in Summerville and Rutter depart, Gnonto now has the chance to step up and be the main main.

Gnonto was often in the shadow of those two last season but there is no doubt he has the ability to step up and deliver a campaign of that level.

Playing off the left-hand-side or centrally, Gnonto showed exactly what he can do in last week’s win at Sheffield Wednesday, with Owls boss Danny Rohl describing him as unplayable.

Leeds may not have signed a proper number 10 to replace Rutter but Gnonto could well be the man who does it.