Wilfried Gnonto’s exploits in a Leeds United shirt have seen him capture the imagination of football fans across his home nation of Italy. The Whites forward is still only 19 years old, but he’ll win his ninth international cap this evening should he feature for the Azzurri against England in Naples and supporters will be keen to see him reproduce the form he has shown for Leeds in recent months.
Gnonto has been one of United’s shining lights in what has been a challenging campaign, breaking through into the first-team fold and terrorising defenders with his ball control, pace and direct running. He’s made a habit of getting fans on their feet by producing spellbinding moments but two of his goals have been particularly well-received by his compatriots.
The first was the volley he scored against Cardiff City at Elland Road which drew obvious comparisons to Paolo Di Canio’s scissor kick effort while playing for West Ham United back in 2000. Timing his run perfectly, Gnonto watched Rodrigo’s lofted pass all the way onto his right foot before lashing it beyond Jak Alnwick to give the Whites the lead in their FA Cup third round replay.
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It was a goal of the season contender and it got people talking in Italy, according to Get Italian Football News editor in chief, Kaustubh Pandey, just as his effort inside the first minute against Manchester United a few weeks later did, stunning the Old Trafford crowd with a low effort from the edge of the box.
“Everyone in Italy has been keeping a very close eye on his progress at Elland Road and they expect big things from him in the next year or so,” Pandey told Leeds Live. “His goal against Man Utd attracted massive attention and his goal against Cardiff City was compared to the famous goal that Paolo Di Canio scored for West Ham.
“They don't think that Gnonto will return to the Serie A because his valuation has shot up to a point where clubs in Italy can't afford him, but they definitely know that he is made to shine at the highest level.
“He should feature against England and I expect him to start, because Chiesa is not available and while Vincenzo Grifo is back in the squad, I do think Gnonto perhaps offers more. Over the last 18 months or so, the attention on Gnonto has increased as that period coincides with the period when he was first called up to the national side.”
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