Here are your Leeds United headlines for Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Gnonto's Inter dream
Leeds United youngster Wilfried Gnonto still harbours a dream of representing boyhood club Inter Milan. Gnonto is coming to the end of his first season with Leeds and over the next two weeks he will be trying desperately to help maintain the Whites Premier League status.
Despite Leeds’ lowly position, Gnonto has established himself as one of the best young prospects the Premier League has to offer this season and at the tender age of just 19, he clearly has a bright future ahead of him. United supporters will be keen to see the Italian stick around to fulfil his potential at Elland Road over the next few years.
Gnonto, though, seemingly still has ambitions of representing the club he started his career at as a schoolboy. The winger spent eight years on Inter's books at the San Siro, working his way through the club’s academy, but a first-team appearance never came.
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“Like any kid, I have a favourite team,” Gnonto told Chronache Di Spogliatoio. “As a child it was stronger than now, now I follow Inter and the Italians with pleasure. But yes, I think that in the end it was and is a dream that I keep inside and I don’t know if I will be able to make it come true. Having reached these levels is already incredible."
Everton FFP issue
Leeds United along with their relegation rivals and Championship winners Burnley are prepared to sue Everton for £300 million if the Toffees avoid relegation. That is according to the MailOnline, with Everton currently charged with breaching the Premier League's spending rules.
Everton were referred to an independent commission by the Premier League in March for alleged spending breaches in the 2021/22 season. Top-flight clubs are limited to a loss of £105m over a rolling three-year period, with the Toffees recording a total loss of close to almost £370m over the past three years.
At least £170m of these losses have been attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, with special allowances afforded to teams. In a statement released in the wake of the news, Everton outlined their position to 'robustly defend its position to the commission'.
Now, the latest reports outline how Leeds and their immediate rivals pushed for the Toffees' hearing to be 'fast-tracked' in order for any sanctions - including a potential points deduction - to be applied this season. This application was rejected, which has led the disaffected clubs to submit legal papers.
Five clubs have made their grievance clear - including Burnley following their relegation in the 2021/22 season - but it would be the two clubs to suffer relegation along with Southampton who would bring forward the £300m claim. This total is said to have been calculated per club for the loss of Premier League income minus the parachute payment.
Wilson's Leeds warning
Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson has told West Ham United’s Michail Antonio what to expect against Leeds United – and told him to count himself lucky that the Hammers will be playing at home.
Wilson said that the Elland Road crowd caught him off guard when they visited for a 2-2 draw on Saturday afternoon, with the England forward scoring both of Newcastle’s goals from the penalty spot either side of Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen strikes.
Antonio appeared alongside Wilson on the BBC’s Footballers’ Football Podcast and tapped him up for information on how Sam Allardyce’s side are likely to approach things at the London Stadium this Sunday afternoon as Leeds United look to pull themselves clear of the relegation zone.
The striker said to Antonio: “They are a side where they are on the front foot. They will press. They will rat around. Try and get in your face. Tackle. Break up play. Make the game scrappy. When you are trying to play your nice football, they want it to become a bit of a fight – a bit of a mess really.
“They are good at set-pieces: crosses into the box, like the two goals we conceded. Long throws. That’s the kind of game that it is. They are fighting for their lives. They have got that desire.”
Wilson also added: “Their stadium and atmosphere was one of the best I have played this season. For a team that’s down there in the relegation zone. You don’t expect atmospheres to be like that. But it was loud before the game. They scored and the roof lifted off.”
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