Wilfried Gnonto chalked up his 100th appearance for Leeds United on Sunday afternoon when he came off the bench for the last 10 minutes of the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
It is remarkable to think that the Italy international is still only 21, and yet he is in triple figures when it comes to appearances for Leeds. Gnonto has endured a bumpy ride since joining Leeds in August 2022.
Leeds signed Gnonto after allowing Dan James to join Fulham, but he was made to wait for his debut by Jesse Marsch. Eventually, he came into the side and played a big part in the win over Liverpool at Anfield.
Gnonto developed his reputation during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring a Paolo Di Canio-like scissor kick in The FA Cup against Cardiff as well as goals against the likes of West Ham and Manchester United.
Wilfried Gnonto sends “dream” message to Leeds United fans
However, Leeds suffered relegation and that summer saw Gnonto alienate himself among Leeds fans by trying to force an exit. He refused to play against Birmingham City, Sheffield Wednesday and Shrewsbury.
But, he came back into the side and played a key role during the second half of last term, winning fans back over. In the most-recent summer, he signed a new deal and now, has clocked up a huge 100 games.
Following his century of appearances, Gnonto sent a message to Leeds fans: “100 appearances for Leeds United. I never dreamt I would play 100 games for this incredible club.
“Coming here felt like a dream for my family and I and having the chance to represent everyone affiliated to this club is always a honour and a big responsibility,” Gnonto continued after his landmark outing.
“Thank you to all my teammates, the fans and everyone at Leeds United for all the support and love I’ve received since the first day I arrived here.
“During the season it’s difficult to get time to look back and reflect as we focus on the games ahead but it’s amazing to see the memories so far and I look forward to making many more together .”
Daniel Farke explains why Wilfried Gnonto is not starting games
While he did clock up his 100th outing, Gnonto has fallen out of the starting line-up in recent weeks. Farke recently said that Gnonto was better as a substitute and on Monday, Farke discussed Gnonto again.
The German manager explained that it is difficult for any player to play all 46 games and maintain the same level of quality. Farke also explained that Gnonto is lacking end product at the moment for Leeds.
It will be interesting to see if Gnonto starts on Wednesday night with rotation likely given the quick turnaround between games, and a huge clash on the horizon against Burnley next Monday.
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