Wilfried Gnonto looks set to make his first appearance in a Leeds United shirt on Friday night as the club’s Under-21s take on Southampton at Elland Road. Gnonto arrived in West Yorkshire on transfer deadline day from FC Zurich and he will have to wait until at least October to make his first-team debut for the Whites.
However, the Italy international will make an outing for the youth side this week as Michael Skubala’s side aim to continue their unbeaten start to Premier League 2 Division 2. Gnonto won’t be the only high profile name involved against the Saints with club captain Liam Cooper, Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Junior Firpo set to be involved, too, as they aim to pick up the minutes they desperately need following their respective injuries.
Supporters will be keeping a keen eye on Gnonto, though, and Skubala is excited to be able to give him the chance to show what he can do.
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“I’m really looking forward to working with Willy,” Skubala said ahead of the game. “He’s come in and he’s a really good young man. He’s a really good character to have around the building, he’s experienced already for such a young player, but he’s quite an exciting player and he’s one of those players I hope the fans will get behind and see the excitement he can bring to Leeds United.
“What another good opportunity to have a young talent come into the club and how we can support that talent and move him through the structures into the first-team. It will be good for the fans to see him live.
Skubala added: “He’s in contention for tomorrow with a lot of other players, my interactions with him have been fantastic. He’s trained hard, he’s worked hard and his English is good, sometimes when you come from abroad that can take a bit of time, but his English is good, he’s a very intelligent young man.
“He’s obviously played at a really top level internationally, he’s another exciting prospect. When you get more exciting prospects in the building together, what an environment for all these young players to develop.
“It’s competitive, it’s challenging, it’s what you want, the more exciting young prospects you have together, the better the programme and the support for the first-team. It keeps pushing the players around, it’s really exciting.”
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