Willy Gnonto’s latest post on Instagram has hinted that the Italian winger could have played his last game at Elland Road as a Leeds United player, after the 1-0 win over Brighton.
Daniel Farke has steadily moved him to the edge of Leeds United’s plans. The timing, the statistics and the reactions from teammates all pointed in the same direction after Leeds’ impressive win on Sunday.
Gnonto posted a series of images on Instagram after Leeds secured their final home victory of the season against Brighton, using the caption “Elland Road. Thank You”. A short message, but it told a clear story.
£10m for Willy Gnonto is a fair price, right Leeds fans? 👀
The winger has hinted he is leaving, amid links with Freiburg.
The reactions added to that feeling. Joel Piroe and Pascal Struijk replied with emotional emojis, which gave the impression that Gnonto’s post carried more significance than a routine end-of-season upload.
The numbers show Gnonto has fallen down the pecking order
The reality is that Gnonto’s role under Farke has shrunk dramatically this season. Leeds have already shown that through selection decisions, not sentiment.
Gnonto has made just four league starts and played 419 Premier League minutes this season. He has also returned zero goals and one assist across his league appearances.
Other attacking players have moved ahead of him in the hierarchy. Brenden Aaronson has produced four goals and five assists, while Noah Okafor has contributed eight goals.
Dan James has also remained a trusted senior option despite his own difficult season statistically. Gnonto has increasingly looked like the spare attacking player rather than a core part of Leeds’ plans.
Farke’s tactical shift has left little room for natural wingers
The biggest reason behind Gnonto’s decline appears tactical rather than personal. Farke’s switch toward a 3-5-2 system has fundamentally changed the profile of attacker Leeds need.
Natural wingers no longer have the same importance because the width now comes from wing-backs. That immediately reduces the value of players whose strongest qualities come in isolated wide areas.
Gnonto remains dangerous running directly at defenders, but Leeds now look more focused on structure, pressing discipline and central combinations. Aaronson’s work rate and Okafor’s movement have suited that setup more consistently.
SPOTTED: Illan Meslier says goodbye to Leeds United 👋
Interest from Freiburg now feels increasingly significant
Against that backdrop, it is difficult to ignore the growing transfer noise around Gnonto. His post comes days after it was reported Freiburg are pushing to sign the Italy international ahead of the summer.
Leeds are also understood to prefer a permanent sale rather than a loan, which only increases the sense that the club may now be preparing for life without him. Gnonto is said to be ‘frustrated’ at Elland Road.
The Instagram post alone would not have meant much in isolation. Combined with his reduced minutes, Leeds’ tactical evolution and growing transfer interest, it felt like a genuine hint that Gnonto’s time at Elland Road could now be drawing to a close.
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