Wilfried Gnonto, also known as Willy Gnonto, is a professional football player who plays as a forward for Leeds United.
Willy Gnonto is a gem unearthed by Leeds United in the transfer market who has developed into a star at Elland Road.
The young forward joined in 2022 from FC Zurich, first viewed as a youth signing before making his breakthrough into the first-team squad.
With some impressive displays in the Premier League, the Championship and even the Italian national team, the future appears bright for Gnonto.
So with that said, here’s a look at everything you need to know about him.
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Willy Gnonto age
Gnonto was born on November 5th, 2003, which means he is 21 years old as of October 2025.
It’s surprising that he’s still so young, given all his years of experience at Leeds.
Willy Gnonto’s height
Gnonto’s height is approximately five feet and seven inches tall (170cm), which puts him on the smaller side for a forward.
That small stature may remove some physicality from his skillset, but the Italian international has a low centre of gravity and a smaller turning circle as a result, making it tough to defend him as the opposition when he is twisting and turning.
Where is Gnonto from?
Leeds United star Gnonto was born in Verbania, which is a comune located in the north-west region of Italy.
He came through the ranks at Baveno, Suno and Inter Milan, before making a first-team breakthrough at FC Zurich.
His switch to Switzerland put Gnonto on the radar for a number of clubs, with Leeds making the move to land the forward on a permanent deal in 2022.
What position does Willy Gnonto play?
With the guidance of Leeds boss Daniel Farke, Willy Gnonto has often played as a winger who can operate on the left and the right.
The youngster’s dribbling ability on the flanks makes him a tough prospect to mark, while he has also played as a second striker when required.
Gnonto’s Leeds squad number
Gnonto currently holds the number 29 shirt at Leeds, which he has kept hold of since joining in 2022.
Few Leeds legends have picked the number 29 in their time at the club, with previous players such as Jean-Kevin Augustin and Rio Ferdinand taking that option.
Who are the parents of Willy Gnonto?
Not much is known about the parents of Willy Gnonto, who moved to Italy from the Ivory Coast to raise the youngster.
Boris Gnonto, father of Wilfried, has spoken to the Yorkshire Evening Post about moving to Harrogate and said: “I’ve been living here for one year. It’s easy for me. It’s very tranquil here which is very important. There’s no problems here. It’s very nice for me.”
Willy Gnonto transfer links
An impressive debut campaign in the Premier League naturally brought about interest in Gnonto, leading to some uproar surrounding his future in the summer of 2023.
Sky Sports reported that the Leeds winger handed in a transfer request after bids from Everton were rejected.
There has been little transfer speculation since.
Lionel Messi inspiration
Like most young players, Gnonto holds Lionel Messi up as an inspiration, with inews reporting that he once waited outside the Argentinian dressing room for an hour during international duty, just to get his autograph.
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