According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle United are now interested in signing Leeds United youngster Wilfried Gnonto this summer.
Newcastle will be looking to improve upon their disappointing campaign last season and Eddie Howe will be hoping that the club can reinvest to strengthen his squad over the summer.
The Magpies failed to secure European football due to a technicality that led to Manchester United stealing their Conference League spot after winning the FA Cup in May.
Their seventh-place Premier League finish was a much different outcome to the season prior where they earned Champions League qualification with a top-four finish, so it will be felt that there is work to be done to be more consistent in their challenge to compete with the “big six”.
As a result, it would be no surprise that Newcastle bring in reinforcements over the coming weeks of the remaining transfer window to bolster Howe’s options in many areas of the squad.
It has been reported today exclusively by TEAMtalk that the Tyneside giants are now eyeing up a move for Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto, in an attempt to strengthen the attacking options in the wider positions.
The publication claims that Newcastle are keen to replace right-winger Miguel Almiron as he continues to be linked heavily with a move to Saudi Arabia.
However, Everton also look to challenge their Premier League peers in securing the signing of the Championship winger this summer as they also are keen to add attacking options to their threat ahead of next season.
Will Newcastle sign Wilfried Gnonto?
There is no doubt that Newcastle already possess some of the biggest attacking talent in the Premier League at present, with Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak who have been two of the most talked about exciting prospects over last season.
However, depth in the squad has always been a worrying aspect in the club’s huge ambitions to compete and consistently challenge for trophies at the highest level.
With that in mind, the signing of another young and tenacious attacker would be massively advantageous this summer and Wilfried Gnonto has been a bright young star capturing the attention of the football world since he broke onto the scene at Leeds United in the Premier League two seasons ago.
Over 36 Championship appearances last season, the 20-year-old ace scored eight goals, registered two assists and created five big chances, as well as averaging 1.3 shots on goal, 2.1 ball recoveries and 3.4 total duels won per game, as per SofaScore.
Not only that, Gnonto has gained recognition at international level with Italy boss Roberto Mancini waxing lyrical about the winger upon his call up to the national team last year:
“Gnonto is a young boy, no one has thought of hiring him but he plays as a starter in the Premier League and that’s not a given at 19.”
“He can still improve and he’s young, he has quality. I hope other young people can follow his example and go abroad to play. If they are good then they play.”
It will be interesting to see if Newcastle do make an approach for Gnonto this summer, as he fits the profile of the young and upcoming talent the club has a pattern of acquiring since the Saudi-led takeover in 2021.
However, this is likely to be dependant on the future of Almiron and whether he will agree to make the reported move to Saudi Arabia this summer, one that would see Newcastle collect an estimated £30m.
